SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
“Heroic Stand: Panwar & Jindal’s Asian Games Near-Miss”
In a fiercely contested 10m mixed air rifle event at the Asian Games, India’s star shooters, Divyansh Panwar and Ramita Jindal, faced a formidable challenge from the Korean pair of Park Hajun and Lee Eunseo. The Korean duo clinched the bronze, edging out the Indian contingent with a narrow 20-18 victory.
Hopes were high for the talented pair of Divyansh and Ramita, but the competition didn’t unfold as planned. Following the qualification round, they found themselves in the sixth and final position, setting the stage for an uphill battle.
Unlike the individual event, where eight shooters progress to the finals, only six pairs advance in mixed teams. The top two vie for gold, while the remaining four pairs compete for two coveted bronze medals.
South Korea secured one of the bronze medals, while the other was claimed by the formidable Kazakh duo of Satpayev Islam and Alexandra Le. They triumphed over the Iranian team of Amir Mohammad Nekounam and Shermineh Amirani with a commanding scoreline of 17-11.
The bronze-medal clash between India and Korea was a nail-biter. The Indian duo initially took a commanding 9-3 lead in the race to the winning score of 16. However, in a remarkable turn of events, Korea staged a comeback, ultimately securing victory at 20-18. Panwar exhibited exceptional skill, achieving a score of 314.3, while the 19-year-old Ramita displayed remarkable poise with her score of 313.9, resulting in an aggregate score of 628.2.
This heart-wrenching defeat serves as a poignant reminder of the fine margins that separate victory from defeat in the world of competitive sports. Divyansh and Ramita’s valiant effort will undoubtedly serve as a source of inspiration for India’s shooting contingent in the games ahead.
