Sift and Niraj Triumph in First Olympic Selection Trials for Rifle 3P at Paris 2024

Asian Games gold-medallist shooter Sift Kaur Samra showcased her dominance in the first women’s 50m rifle 3-Positions Olympic Selection Trial (OST T1) by clinching victory over her competitors at the Karni Singh Range on Wednesday.

Facing off against the in-form Ashi Choksey, Sift, the world record holder in the event, found herself trailing by 1.1 points after the initial ‘kneeling position’ shots. However, the Hangzhou Asian Games champion staged a remarkable comeback during the ‘prone’ position, surging ahead by 2.4 points over her closest rival by the end of the round.

Ultimately, Sift’s impressive score of 466.3 secured her a comfortable lead of 3.7 points over Ashi, who finished with a tally of 462.6. Olympian Anjum Moudgil claimed the final spot on the podium with a score of 449.2.

In the men’s 50m rifle 3P event, Niraj Kumar emerged victorious with a final score of 462.2, surpassing Paris quota holder Swapnil Kusale (460.9) and Aishwary Tomar (450.5) who finished in second and third place respectively.

The trials also featured qualification rounds in the men’s and women’s 10m air rifle and air pistol events, with Sandeep Singh and Tilottama Sen leading the pack in the 10m air rifle category, and Varun Tomar and Rhythm Sangwan topping the 10m pistol qualification round.

With the T1 finals in air rifle and air pistol OST set to take place on Thursday, the competition is heating up as shooters vie for a chance to represent India on the international stage.