‘Missing Paris Olympics final meant…': Sift Kaur Samra on pipping American shooter to bronze medal at ISSF World Cup

Sift Kaur Samra was in good form, claiming a bronze medal in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions event at the ISSF World Cup, on Thursday. Samra, who is also 23-years-old, is also the current world record holder in women's 50m rifle three positions event which she had set while winning gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games.
She shot 453.1 in the eight-player final to clinch bronze. Meanwhile, Norway's Jeanette Hegg Duestad won gold with 466.9 and Switzerland's Emely Jaeggi got silver (464.8).
Initially, Samra was tied at joint-third spot with American Sagen Maddalena. They were initially tied on 411.6 points.
Speaking to The Indian Express, she said, 'Yes, I was aware that we both (she and Sagen Maddalena) were tied at the end of the first elimination series. Throughout the final till that series, I was fourth with the top three shooters being the same. And I knew the medal was in my grasp. I did not know Maddalena was the Paris Olympic silver medallist.'
'Even though we have competed in several finals together, missing the final in Paris meant that I did not care about who won the medal. And even if I knew, I know it's still me who has to do the shooting and it all depends on myself. I am glad that I am taking a medal from the Munich World Cup like I did last year too.'
Speaking on Samra's shooting style, national rifle coach Deepali Deshpande said, 'Since kneeling is the first position, shooters are sometimes edgy or nervous too and sometimes shooters take time to understand the wind. It took some time for Sift to understand the kneeling position initially in her career but then she has worked on it. While today's final range was a closed range, Sift showed fine form today.'
'We have been working on things like less movement between the two shots and keeping the head movement minimal during loading and unloading in a kneeling position along with making the balance with the sling. Yes, 2026 onwards finals will be only about standing, but then kneeling will be the first position in qualification,' he added.

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