Bhowneesh Mendiratta Earns India's First 2024 Olympics Quota Place In Shooting

Bhowneesh Mendiratta earned India's first 2024 Paris Olympics quota place in shooting, after he finished a commendable fourth in the men's trap competition at the ongoing ISSF Shotgun World Championship in Osijek, Croatia. Bhowneesh missed a world championship medal narrowly in the process, being the first to bow out with 13 out of the first 15 hits in the 35-shot medal match. There were four quota places each up for grabs in both the men's and women's trap event on the day.

The 23-year-old world number 144 (before the final) from Faridabad, however, secured the Paris Olympics quota for the country after he topped the second ranking round match with a brilliant 24 out of 25 hits.

It was an excellent effort from the Indian youngster, whose only senior medal at the world stage before this was a Team silver at the Changwon World Cup earlier in the year.

Earlier in the day, he completed his final qualification round with a perfect 25/25 to finish with a score of 121. He eventually qualified fourth after coming second in a four-way shoot-off to decide the final qualification positions.

Eight shooters qualified for the two ranking rounds in the 154-strong field. For the seventh and eight places, there was a 11-way shoot-off.

Bhowneesh lined up with American Derrick Mein, the world number three, Briton Aaron Heading and Qatari R H Al-Althba in the second ranking round match. Derrick Mein had finished second, while Al-Athba and Heading were sixth and eighth in qualification respectively.

Heading was the first to bow out, hitting 11 targets of the first 15. The American Mein was ahead with a clean 15 strikes while Bhowneesh was second with 14 hits. Al-Athba of Qatar had 12 hits to his name at that stage.

With the quota place on