Did Lakshay and Neeru Fall Short at the Shooting WC?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Lakshay Sheoran and Neeru Dhanda finished 10th in the Trap Mixed Team event.
- Neeru reached her first World Cup final, placing fourth in women's trap.
- Four teams topped the qualifications with scores of 143.
- The event is set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- India's performance indicates a bright future in shooting sports.
New Delhi, July 13 (NationPress) India's journey at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Shotgun in Lonato concluded with the duo of Lakshay Sheoran (22,19,25) and Neeru Dhanda (25,24,25) narrowly missing out on the Trap Mixed Team medal rounds. Despite achieving a flawless third series, they accumulated a total of 140 out of a possible 150 in the qualifying stages, landing them in 10th place among 54 competing pairs.
The second Indian team, comprising Zoravar Singh Sandhu (21,23,24) and Preeti Rajak (23,24,23), managed a score of 138, finishing in 22nd position.
Leading the qualifications were four teams: Australia, Great Britain, and both squads from Spain, all sharing an identical score of 143.
Previously, the Indian team of Kynan Chenai and Sabeera Haris had secured a bronze in the Trap Mixed Team event at the last Nicosia Shotgun World Cup. This event is set to debut at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
On the penultimate day, National Games champion Neeru Dhanda made her mark by reaching her first-ever World Cup final, finishing an impressive fourth in the women's trap event.
Neeru clinched the sixth and final qualifying position by defeating last year's New Delhi World Cup Final winner, Alessia Iezzi (Italy), in a nail-biting shoot-off (2-1). However, she was eliminated due to a higher bib number. Gold went to Laetisha Scanlan from Australia, who hit 45 targets.
While Neeru maintained her stellar performance from the previous day, missing only one target out of 75, Lakshay faced a setback in the second series, missing six shots, which ultimately hindered his chances for a podium finish.