Picture Credit: Twitter
Indian shooter Rhythm Sangwan registered the highest-ever score in women’s 25m pistol event by scoring 595 in the qualification round on Saturday at the ISSF World Cup, Baku. With this, she has bettered a 29-year-old record as she surpassed the previous best 594 created by Bulgaria’s Diana Iorgova in 1994. The tally was then equalled by China’s Luna Tao and Germany’s Doreen Vennekamp in 2002 and 2023, respectively.
Diana Iorgova had first set the women’s 25m pistol world record in May 1994 during the Milan World Cup. It was then matched by Germany’s Doreen Vennekamp in 2023 ISSF World Cup held in Bhopal in 2023 earlier this year, following China’s Luna Tao levelled it in 2002. Sangwan scored 296 in her precision stage and backed it up with an impressive 299 in the rapid stage to not only top the qualification round, but also break a 29-year-old world record. The second position was occupied by Greece’s Anna Korakaki with a score of 588.
Notably, on Wednesday, Sangwan opened India’s medal count by winning bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup Baku. In the final, the 19-year-old stood eighth with an overall score of 10. She missed all the five shots in the first series and was always playing catching up. With this, India continues to be at the second spot with one gold, two silver and one bronze, behind China with two gold, one silver and one bronze. On Friday, the Indian duo of Hriday Hazarika and Nancy won air rifle silver medals in the men’s and women’s category, respectively.
