The Indian, who was the youngest competitor in the medal round, kept his cool to win a silver medal for India after coming close to winning gold before Chinese 17-year-old Shiwen Wang stole a march.
Sameer defeated the other Chinese shooters in the elimination round, 20-year-olds Liu Yangpan and Liu Yang, before finishing with 22 points to Shiwen’s 25 points at the end of the eighth series in the final.
Wang and Yang advanced to the finals after finishing first and second in the first four-shooter ranking round. The final consisted of eight series of five shots each, with the fourth-placed shooter eliminated after the fourth series, so it was a battle among the four shooters to shoot scores above 9.7 in each shot to secure a point for each shot in the five-shot series.
A two-point performance in the fifth series, compared to Wang’s three points and Yangpan’s two points, tied the Indian at 16 points, with Wang trailing Yangpan by 14. While Wang and Yangapan both scored three points in the sixth series, Sameer’s two ensured that he and Wang remained in contention for gold, with Yangapan taking bronze.
Sameer shot four points in the seventh series, compared to Wang’s three points, to tie Wang for the lead on 22 points.
Wang, who shot first, fired the final series quickly and scored three points, while the Indian only managed one, giving Wang his first medal at any level at the International level.
Sameer had previously finished fourth in the qualification stage with a score of 573, trailing Wang, Yangpan, and Yang. In comparison to Wang’s 586, Yangpan’s 582, and Yang’s 581, the Indian’s score was average, but he would prove his worth in the ranking rounds.
