Shooting World Cup: Shazar Rizvi breaks world record

New Delhi [India] March 04, (ANI): Young Indian shooter, Shahzar Rizvi, competing in his first ever senior world event, shot a stunning gold in the men's 10m air pistol in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Mexico.

In the first final on day one of the competition, Rizvi not only beat a reigning Olympic Champion but also set a new world record with a score of 242.3 in the 24-shot final.

Veteran Jitu Rai shot 219 to win bronze while Germany's Christian Reitz, the reigning Olympic champion in men's 25m rapid fire pistol, came in second with 239.7.

India's Om Prakash Mitharval finished fourth with a score of 198.4.

Starting the new season of international shooting on a strong note, India won three medals on the first day as Mehuli Ghosh, a world cup debutant, also won a bronze, with a junior world record score of 228.4 in the women's 10m air rifle event.

In the women's 10m air rifle, the Indian trio of Mehuli Ghosh, Apurvi Chandela and Anjum Moudgil had all made it to the eight-woman final, and finished second, seventh and eighth respectively in the qualifying round.

Romania's Laura Georgeta Coman, who won gold in the Munich World Cup last year and a silver at the World Cup Finals, finished with 251.5 for the gold medal, while China's Hong Xu won silver with a score of 251.0.

The Day Two of the event on Sunday also has two finals lined up with the men's 10m air rifle and women's 10m air pistol.

While Deepak Kumar, Ravi Kumar and Arjun Babuta will carry India's hopes in the men's event, Mahima Agrawal, Manu Bhaker and Yashaswini Singh Deswal will be in the fray in the women's. (ANI)