India's Divya TS and Sarabjot Singh won the 10m air pistol mixed team gold at the ISSF World Cup in Baku on Thursday.
The Indian pair who had finished fifth in two earlier World Cup stages in Cairo and Bhopal respectively, broke through with a fine 581 to top the 55-team qualification, assuring them of a medal and a spot in the gold medal match. Up against Serbian legends Damir Mikec and Zorana Arunovic, the Indians held their own to pull off a close 16-14 win.
It was a second ISSF World Cup gold for Sarabjot having won the individual air pistol in Bhopal in March, while this was Divya's first senior medal at this level.
A beaming @DivyaTSD & @Sarabjotsingh30 show off their 10m air pistol mixed team gold at Baku during the @issf_official World Cup Rifle/Pistol#IndiaShooting #TeamIndia #ISSFWorldCup #Shooting #Baku #India pic.twitter.com/kyRuNE4wRD
- NRAI (@OfficialNRAI) May 11, 2023
Ismail Keles and Simal Yilmaz of Turkey won bronze.
The Indians began the final with two identical 10.5s in the first series of single shots to take a 2-0 lead. However, 13 series later, in which there were two tied series as well where both men and both women shot identical shots, the two teams stood tied at 14-14.
With the 15th winner takes all series on the line, Sarabjot came up with the goods to fire a 10.6 while Divya backed him up with a 9.9. However, even though Damir shot a 10.3, Zorana faltered with an 8.6 as the Indians pulled off a famous victory.
With this medal, India are placed second in the medal tally with one gold and a bronze medal while China move to the top with one gold and a silver. There are six more gold medals to be decided over the next three days of competition.