Angad Bajwa finishes 18th in skeet, Mairaj Ahmad Khan 25th
India's Angad Vir Singh Bajwa finished 18th while his senior compatriot Mairaj Ahmad Khan ended 25th in the men's skeet event of the Tokyo Olympics on Monday. Bajwa shot 120 across five series and Khan could manage only 117 at the Asaka Range. Bajwa was placed a creditable 11th overnight and was eyeing a finals berth at the end of the first three rounds.
Khan could not improve on his overnight position
However, Bajwa missed his target thrice on the second day of the qualifying to bow out of contention without a fight. His sequence of scores read 24, 25, 24, 23, 24. On the other hand, Khan could not improve on his overnight position and ended the competition with scores of 25, 24, 22, 23, 23 for a total of 117.
France's Eric Delaunay topped the qualification
France's Eric Delaunay topped the qualification with an Olympic record 124+6 (including shoot-off), while Italy's Tammaro Cassandro (124+5) grabbed second place. Eetu Kallioinen of Finland was third with 123 in the qualifying in which 30 shooters competed. In the skeet qualifications, each shooter pulls the trigger 125 times across five series and from eight shooting stations arranged in a semi-circle.
Bajwa holds the world record of 60/60 in skeet
The top six shooters qualify for the finals, where they shoot 60 targets. Bajwa holds the world record in skeet with 60 out of 60, achieved at the Asian Shotgun Championships in Kuwait, in 2018. He had shot another 60/60 next year, in New Delhi, to getter the better of Khan on way to defending his Nationals crown.
Bajwa missed two targets out of 75, Khan had 71
25-year-old Bajwa missed two targets out of 75 to be placed 11th on count back at the end of the third round on Sunday. Khan had 71 and was placed 25th out of the 30 shooters in the fray.
