Trap Shooter Rajeshwari Kumari Earns India's Seventh Olympic Quota

Shotgun shooting runs in her family, and trap exponent Rajeshwari Kumari showed why she is among the best in the country when she earned a seventh 2024 Paris Olympic quota place by finishing fifth in the ISSF World Championship in Baku on Thursday. The 31-year-old, daughter of legendary shotgun shooter and one of the top sports administrators the country has produced, Randhir Singh, made it to the finals in an extremely tough field but bad luck forced her to miss out on a medal. Rajeshwari also became the second trap shooter after Shagun Chowdhary to ever earn an Olympic quota in women's trap.

In a heartbreak for the shooter, she could score only 19 out of 30 shots in the final.

Despite the below-par score in the finals, Rajeshwari was elated at having clinched the Olympic quota.

"I am feeling great. It's unbelievable. It's finally done. It's done for the country. I mean I wish I could win a medal but this is great. Paris…," said Rajeshwari after the final.

The daughter of Randhir -- the first Indian marksman to win a gold medal in the Asian Games (1978, Bangkok) -- was outstanding in all five rounds of qualification -- two on Wednesday and three on Thursday -- and went in to the finals placed third with a cumulative score of 120 out of a maximum 125.

The 120 she shot in the qualification round also bettered her national record score of 118.

Rajeshwari had three superb series of 24, 25, 24 before she hit a rough patch and scored 22. But she managed to notch a perfect 25 in the fifth and last qualification round to make the six-shooter finals.

"It's certainly a proud day for me and the family. She (Rajeshwari) first qualified for the Asian Games of which we were very proud and now she has won an Olympic quota. She carries