Jitu Rai, Heena Sidhu win mixed team gold at ISSF Shooting World Cup Final

New Delhi: India began the ISSF Shooting World Cup Final campaign on a golden note as Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu clinched the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event gold at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range here on Tuesday.

India, who qualified for the medal round at first position scoring 767/800 in qualification, fought for the top position with France after China was eliminated settling for a bronze medal.

The India duo shot 483.4 in the final. 

The French team of Goberville and Fouquet bagged scored 481.1 points, while the Chinese pairing of Cai and Yang managed 418.2.

Rai, a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist, and Heena, also a former Commonwealth Games gold-winner, picked up their third gold together in the mixed team event, being held officially for the first time at an ISSF World Cup.

The Indian duo shot consistently well to give the host nation a positive start in the prestigious tournament which is being for the first time in the country.

A multiple medallist in top international events, Rai will also gun for glory in the 10m free pistol and 50m pistol in the coming days. 

The mixed team competitions were organised as test events in the World Cups held earlier this year and will be making their Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games.

(With PTI Inputs)