Bhopal: The shooting World Cup scripted history for Madhya Pradesh as it concluded. The state shooter Manisha Keer won another gold for the nation in women’s trap event.
Little did Keer, who sold fish in the Bhopal markets, know she would reach this far to a world of success and glory. A regular company to her fisherman father to Bhopal’s Upper Lake, Manisha became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in the junior shotgun event at the ISSF Shooting World Championship in South Korea. And now she has won a gold at the championship again teaming up with Shreyasi Singh and Rajeshwari Kumari.
The Indian trio claimed the gold medal in the women's trap team event after blanking Kazakhstan 6-0 in the final here on Sunday taking the gold tally to 15. They scored 321 points in the qualification rounds on Thursday.
Growing up in dire economic conditions and with six siblings, life was never easy for Manisha. Her father KailshKeer said, “I have seven children, including four daughters. As a fisherman, I barely make enough to feed my family. Forget sports, it was not even possible to send my children to school.”
Manisha found her way to the MP State Shooting Academy with her elder sister Soniya and that changed her life. As she watched the shotgun trials at the academy, Olympian Mansher Singh approached her and asked her to give it a shot. With no prior training, Manisha hit the target in her first attempt. The rest, as they say, is history. She has recorded her best-ever finish at an ISSF World Cup Shotgun stage.
India on top with 15 gold, 9 Silver
Hosts India signed off from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage at New Delhi’s Dr Karni Singh Shooting range in style on Sunday, winning a double gold in the Trap Men’s and Women’s Team competitions respectively. That effort meant that India have now had their most successful ever ISSF World Cup stage, not only finishing on top of the medal tally but also amassing a whopping 15 gold, nine silver and six bronze medals for a tournament tally of 30 medals.
