Anish Bhanwala clinched India’s twelfth Paris Olympics qualification spot in the field of shooting during the Asian Shooting Championship held in Changwon, South Korea, on Sunday. In the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event, the Indian marksman secured the third position in the qualification round, amassing a total of 588 points out of a possible 600. This earned him the coveted quota spot since all other competitors had already booked their spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics or competed for ranking points (RPO).
Anish demonstrated consistent performance by scoring 294 points in both stages of the qualification round, thereby securing a place in the final. In the final showdown, he showcased his prowess and clinched the bronze medal. South Korea’s Gunhyeok Lee claimed the gold medal, while Dai Yoshioka earned the silver.
During the qualification round, Wang Xinjie from China secured the top spot with a score of 589 points, while his compatriot Li Yuehong earned a total of 588 points, earning qualification for the final round. On the other hand, Bhavesh Shekhawat, an Indian shooter participating in the championship, finished in sixth place during the qualification round with a total of 584 points. It’s important to note that Bhavesh was not eligible for an Olympic quota spot because he was competing for RPO.
Notably, this marked India’s first Olympic quota spot in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event, achieved at the Asian Championship in Changwon. India has been successful in securing three quota places in total at the Asian Championship held recently. In the preceding week, Tilottama Sen secured a quota place in the women’s 10m air rifle event, and Manu Bhaker earned one in the women’s 25m pistol event.
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