Gold awaited but shooters deliver silver for India at Asiad
Gold eluded India but medals trickled in from the shooting range for the second successive day, even as the country’s first-ever podium finish in mixed martial arts medal became more a tale of heartbreak than history in Asian Games here on Monday.
Suchika Tariyal wept on the mat as being just 700gm more than Singaporean Hui Hoon Teo in the morning weigh-in prevented her from making the summit clash after a bitterly contested semifinal ended drawn. She had to settle for bronze, which was India’s first ever in the combat sport but one that could have been bettered.
The Indian’s slightly higher weight proved decisive as technical rules allowed the lighter competitor to move ahead in case of a draw. India’s overall tally stood at six medals, four silver and two bronze.
The focus was shooting range where three medals — two silver a bronze — were added to the kitty. Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil held their nerve in a gripping shootout to win the individual silver and bronze in men’s 10m air rifle after combining with Parth Mane to fetch team silver.
