India, June 13 — "I simply grab the gun and fire. Before departing for the current rifle/pistol World Cup in Munich, Suruchi Phogat outlined her mindset, saying, "I don't think too much at the firing station or even in a final. I have no pre-game rituals like most shooters, nor do I visualise." A week later, she demonstrated that although her approach might be seen as overly basic for a skilled shooter, it actually makes no difference as long as she can, you know, pick up the pistol and shoot.

India's newest shooting star topped the competitive field on Friday to win her third consecutive World Cup gold, replicating her victories in Buenos Aires and Lima in April. Munich presented a significantly more challenging test of abilities and demeanor than the twin finals in the South American leg, where Suruchi had accumulated 244.6 and 243.6, respectively.

"Munich is bound to be much tougher because all big shooters turn up. In South America, to be honest, the competition was not that challenging," she stated. The 19-year-old proved to be capable in Germany, scoring 241.9 to defeat Camille Jederzejewski of France, who scored 241.7, and Yao Qianxun of China, who scored 221.7.

The level of competition can be seen in the fact that four of her seven opponents in the medal round had previously competed in the Paris Olympics, while reigning Olympic champion Oh Yejin and Paris bronze medalist Manu Bhaker were unable to qualify.

Suruchi's accomplishment continued a remarkable streak that started last December when she won all three individual titles (senior, junior, and youth) at the National Championships. She then won the National Games before achieving a golden double in South America during her senior World Cup debut.

She demonstrated plenty of her ability during the qualification round itself, shooting an excellent 588 to match the national record held by Manu. With a score of 589, Yao led the field of 110. Sainyam, his fellow countryman shooting for RPO, finished the qualification in fifth place with 580. Simranpreet Kaur Brar, a silver medalist at the Lima World Cup in the 25m event, finished 51st with a score of 568, while Palak Gulia, an Asian Games gold medalist, was 36th with a score of 570.

Suruchi set her personal best in the final, sprinting ahead early with a 52.1 in the first five-shot series. She reclaimed the lead with a strong 10.8 on the 12th shot after a few nines had moved her into second place following the next set.

After Jederzejewski, a 25m silver medalist in Paris, took the lead with a 10.7 and 10.5, a 9.7 on her 16th shot allowed her to give the advantage to Yao.

Suruchi maintained her second-place position for the next two series, and just as it seemed that Jederzejewski had done enough to secure a 0.5-point lead, the Indian hit a crucial 10.5 on her penultimate try, flipping the script on Jederzejewski, who could only score 9.5.

Suruchi made a 9.5 on her last attempt, turning a 0.5-point disadvantage into a 0.5-point lead in one shot. Suruchi completed her hat-trick, and Jederzejewski could only reply with a 9.8, needing to score at least 10 to compel a shoot-off.

The young girl was clearly upset with her last shot, and she stared closely at the scoresheet, which was filled with 9s.

She surrendered the lead twice and made a 9 nine times in the final, all of which she and her coach Suresh Singh will undoubtedly discuss when she practices at the local ranges.

"She is obviously unhappy with her final shot. Everyone wants to finish well, and that sensation of a last shot lingers with us for a long time. In the commentary, Manu, who shared the podium with Suruchi in Lima, remarked, "It appears to be the case with her."

Suruchi's composure under pressure and ability to come back were impressive, especially considering she had only made her senior debut three months prior. The rivalry among the Indian pistol shooters is sure to intensify, especially with Brar, Gulia, and Sainyam having experienced differing levels of success abroad and Manu still to find her rhythm.

On Saturday, the final day of the tournament, Manu and Suruchi will once more line up for the mixed team competition. The Paris double medalist will partner with Aditya Malra, while Suruchi will partner with Varun Tomar. Anish Bhanwala's 18th-place finish in the men's 25m pistol event was the highest by an Indian, but it did not qualify anyone for the final.

For any questions regarding this article or any other content requests, please email the Editor at contentservices@htdigital.in at HT Digital Streams Ltd.
Read Also: MCC, ICC Declare 'Bunny Hop' Catch Illegal – Here’s Why
Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!