Top Shots: Keer, Mendiratta Shine at National Shooting Trials

Manisha Keer and Bhowneesh Mendiratta clinched top spots in women's and men's Trap T1 at the Shotgun National Selection Trials in New Delhi. Keer hit 27 targets, while Mendiratta edged out competition with 28. The event saw promising performances from rising stars in both senior and junior categories.

Manisha Keer and Bhowneesh Mendiratta emerged victorious in their respective categories during the women's and men's Trap T1 competitions at the Shotgun National Selection Trials held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. Keer hit 27 targets to narrowly defeat Neeru Dhanda, who scored 25, while Aashima Ahlawat finished third with 20 hits.

In the women's qualification round, Kirti Gupta stood out with a leading score of 118, though she finished seventh in the final. Rajeshwari Kumari and Aashima Ahlawat both recorded scores of 114, followed by Preeti Rajak with 113. Manisha Keer secured her final spot with a score of 110, ahead of Neeru Dhanda, Varsha Varman, and Shagun Chowdhary, who completed the top eight.

In the men's finals, Bhowneesh Mendiratta narrowly beat Prithviraj Tondaiman with a score of 28-27 to secure first place. Vivaan Kapoor, a World Cup Final 2024 medallist, claimed the third position. Earlier, Kynan Chenai topped the qualification rounds with a score of 122, closely followed by Prithviraj and Vivaan. Notably, World Championship bronze medallist Zoravar Singh Sandhu's 118 score didn't secure a top-eight finish due to cutbacks.

The junior finals witnessed Zuhair Khan leading with a score of 27, comfortably ahead of Lakshya Atree and Navjeet Bishnoi. Manitwa Singh Rawat led the qualification but finished eighth in the final. Among junior women, World Cup mixed team medallist Sabeera Haris edged past Addya Katyal 25-24 in the finals. Addya had led the qualifications, showcasing the potential of upcoming talent.

(With inputs from agencies.)