ISSF Junior World Championship: India finish on top with 43 medals

India won a couple of 43 medals, including 17 gold, to finish on top of the pecking order in the just-concluded ISSF Junior World Championship in Lima.

The country's shooters achieved all the available 12 medals. On the final competition day of the top junior tournament at the Las Palmas Shooting range in the Peruvian capital of Lima. Vijayveer Sidhu, Rhythm Sangwan, Arjun Singh Cheema and Shikha Narwal were India's gold medallists on the final day, putting the country firmly on top of the standings with 17 gold.

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India concluded the meet with 16 silver and 10 bronze medals, in addition to the 17 gold. Vijayveer began the sweep with yellow metal in the junior men's 25m standard pistol for his third gold medal of the championship. His twin brother Udhayveer won silver with 570, the same score as Vijayveer's but with three lesser inner 10s. Harsh Gupta won bronze with a 566 in a 17-strong field.

Then Rhythm Sangwan claimed her fourth gold of the championship. She secured her victory in the junior women's 25m standard pistol. She scored 573, leaving compatriots Niveditha Veloor Nair (565) and Naamya Kapoor (563) behind in silver and bronze positions. In the 50m pistol for junior men, India's Arjun Singh Cheema bossed the 16-strong field with a 549 out of 600 with both teammates Shaurya Sarin and Ajinkya Chavan also finishing on the same score.

Shaurya was adjudged second and Ajinkya third on inner 10s and countback. In the final event of the championship, India's Shikha Narwal won the junior women's 50m pistol with a score of 530. Esha Singh was second with 529 while Navdeep Kaur was third with 526. In all, the pistol discipline stole a march over the other two for India, accounting for 26 of the 43 medals on offer.

Shaurya was placed second and Ajinkya third on inner 10s and countback. In the final event of the championship, India's Shikha Narwal won the junior women's 50m pistol with a score of 530. Esha Singh was second with 529. Meanwhile, Navdeep Kaur was third with 526. In all, the pistol discipline stole a march over the other two for India, accounting for 26 of the 43 medals on offer.