Chatearoux: Clubfooted shooter Rubina Francis extended India’s medal-winning run with a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol SH1 event on a day when the shuttlers also assured the country of a medal with Sukant Kadam setting up a men’s singles SL4 semifinal clash with Suhas Yathiraj at the Paris Paralympics on Saturday.
Rubina’s bronze was India’s fourth medal from the shooting range and fifth overall. The 25-year-old from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh aggregated 211.1 to finish third in the eight-woman final behind Iran’s Sareh Javanmardi (236.8) and Turkey’s Aysel Ozgan (231.1).
The Indian had qualified for the final at seventh spot in the qualification round earlier in the day.
In SH1 class, athletes are able to hold their gun without difficulty and shoot from a standing or sitting position in a wheelchair or chair.
Clubfoot is a deformity in which an infant’s feet are turned inward, often so severely that the bottom of the foot faces sideways or even upward.
On Friday, Avani Lekhara had created history by successfully defending her women’s 10m air rifle title won in Tokyo while her compatriot Mona Agarwal clinched the bronze. Manish Narwal had then added a silver to India’s tally by finishing second in the men’s 10m air pistol (SH1).
Rubina’s talent was identified by Gun for Glory academy back in 2015 and since then she has not looked back. She had qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics also but finished in seventh position.
She has been trained by Subhash Rana, the younger brother of renowned coach Jaspal Rana, who has shaped the phenomenal career of Haryana shooter Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics.
Sukant vs Suhas semifinal assures India of a medal
In men’s singles SL4 class, meant for athletes with lower limb impairments and minor balance issues in walking or running, debutant Sukant thrashed Thailand’s Teamarrom Siripong 21-12 21-12 to top group B and set up a semifinal clash with compatriot Suhas Yathiraj, a Tokyo silver medallist.
This was Sukant’s second consecutive win in the three-player group. Sukant had won a bronze in the Asian Para Games last year.
“It’s my debut tournament. I am so happy to qualify for the semifinals. I was well prepared for today’s game. The first match was much tougher than this. And against him I have played plenty of times and I was very confident. So, I wanted to go one point at a time and then I played really well,” said Sukant after the match.
“The drift and the atmosphere of the hall is very different. I am happy that I was able to adapt well this time,” he added.
In the men’s SL4 competition, only the toppers from each of the four groups qualify for the semifinals.
Nitesh Kumar, who had won a silver medal in the Asian Para Games last year, also qualified for the semifinals of men’s singles SL3 category after recording a straight-game win in his last group match.
Nitesh topped Group A after outplaying Mongkhon Bunsun of Thailand 21-13 21-14, notching up his third successive win.
Bunsun also qualified for the semifinals as the second-place finisher from group A.
In SL3 class, which is meant for players with severe lower limb disability competing on half-width court, the top two finishers from each of the two groups qualify for the semifinals.
In the group A, Tokyo Paralympics bronze medallist Manoj Sarkar, who has already bowed out of the tournament, beat Yang Jianyuan of China 21-1 21-11. Meanwhile, Mandeep Kaur entered the quarterfinals of the women’s singles SL 3 category.
Mandeep regrouped to win her last group B match 21-23 21-10 21-17 against her Australia’s Vinot Celine Aurelie.
Heartbreak for archers, cyclists and rowers disappoint
The archers suffered a heartbreak as Sarita Kumari’s splendid run ended in quarterfinals and armless wonder Sheetal Devi also crashed out in the last-16 stage in the compound women’s open category.
Ninth seed Sarita lost 140-145 against top-seed Oznur Cure Girdi of Korea.
Sheetal, who draws the arrow with her toes, endured a blip in the second end where she shot the 7-point red ring to go down to Tokyo silver medallist Mariana Zuniga of Chile 137-138.
Indian cyclists and rowers also endured disappointing exits as Arshad Shaik and Jyoti Gaderiya crashed out in the qualification round.
In men’s 1,000m time trial C1-3, Shaik could manage only a disappointing bottom-place (17th) finish with a timing of 1:21.416. Jyoti too finished at the bottom (11th place) in the women’s 500m time trial C1-3 qualifying event, with a timing of 49.233.
Shaik had suffered an accident in May 2004. Travelling in an auto, he suffered multiple injuries and his left leg had to be amputated above knee.
Jyoti had also suffered a bike accident in May 2016, resulting to left leg above knee amputation.
The two Indians will also be competing in road cycling events.
Meanwhile, Indian rowers Anita and Narayana Konganapalle crashed out from the mixed PR3 double sculls event.
The pair finished the race with a timing of 7:54.33s, behind Ukraine (7:29.24s) and Great Britain (7:20.53s).
The Indian duo will now compete in Final B, which will decide 7th to 12th spot finishers.
The PR3 category is for para-athletes with residual leg function, allowing them to slide the seat.
