Asian Games 2018: 15-Year-Old Shardul Vihan Bags Silver in Double Trap Men’s Shooting

Asian Games 2018: Shardul Vihan, from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, scored 73 out of 80 shots in the finals of the event.

Fifteen-year-old shooter Shardul Vihan on Thursday produced a sensational performance as he bagged a silver medal in the Double Trap Men’s Event at the ongoing edition of the Asian Games in Indonesia. Shardul scored 73 out of 80 shots in the finals of the event. The gold was won by Korea’s Hyun Wooshin who had a final score of 74 while Qatar’s Hamad Ali Al Marri bagged the bronze medal with a score of 53.

The 15-year-old had qualified for the finals of the event at the top spot.

Shardul became the third Indian to medal in the double trap event at the Asian Games. Ronjan Sodhi won gold in 2010 while Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won silver in 2010.

WHAT A STAR!

At 15 YEARS, Shardul Vihan, one of our youngest in #AsianGames2018, has made us immensely proud with a silver in Double Trap Shooting.

His prowess convinces me that the future of Indian sports is in VERY safe hands! #KheloIndia #IndiaAtAsianGames @asiangames2018 pic.twitter.com/nSh6K8mXto

— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 23, 2018

Shardul, from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, had taken up the sport in 2014 and started competing a year later. As a 14-year-old, Vihan had grabbed four gold medals at Shotgun Nationals Championship last year.

Coached by former Asian Championship double gold medallist Anwer Sultan, he had finished a creditable sixth at the Junior World Championship in Moscow last year.

Shardul’s silver is still his best outing at an international tournament and takes India’s tally to 17 medals at the ongoing edition of the Asian Games. He’s the third teenager after Saurabh Chaudhary (gold in 10m Air Pistol) and Lakshay Sheoran (silver in Trap) to win a shooting medal for India in the ongoing Asian Games.

Earlier in the day, India’s number one tennis played Ankita Raina had to settle for bronze after going down fighting against China’s Shuai Zhang in their semi-final match. Raina went down 4-6, 6-7 against the World No. 34 in a gruelling last-four contest that lasted for almost two hours.

(With PTI inputs)