Asian Games 2018: 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary claims gold on debut

The 16-year-old Chaudhary, who topped the qualifying round, shot a Games record score of 240.7 to pip Japan's Tomoyuki Matsuda.

Debutant teenager Saurabh Chaudhary clinched India's first shooting gold of the 18th Asian Games, fetching the top honours in the men's 10m air pistol event here today.

The 16-year-old Chaudhary, who topped the qualifying round, shot a Games record score of 240.7 to pip Japan's Tomoyuki Matsuda (239.7) in an exciting final to add a gold to India's shooting tally of two silver and a bronze this Asiad.

Hobby shooter Abhishek Verma, also making his Asian Games debut at 29, settled for the bronze medal in the same event with a score of 219.3.

In second position for most of the final, Chaudhary grabbed the lead after Matsuda fired 8.9 in his penultimate shot. The Indian went ahead with a 10.2 off his second-last shot and held the nerve to stay ahead.

Also Read : Asian Games 2018 LIVE: 16-yr-old Saurabh gets India gold in 10m Rifle

With a lot of medals on the line, athletes of 45 nations, playing 58 different kinds of sports, will give their best to win one of those at the 18th Asian Games at Jakarta Palembang. Indian athletes would love to prove their mettle in various events like Kabaddi, Shooting, Volleyball, Wushu, and others.

Hopes of Indian fans would be high after Bajrang Punia won the first gold medal for India at Asian Games 2018. In Badminton, the women's team will take on Japan in team qualifier event.

Men's hockey team play against Indonesia. In shooting, India will present their challenge in various categories and the responsibility to clinch medal will be on them.

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