Palembang
India got a medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event not a surprise, considering that Manu Bhaker was part of the event. But the surprise is that it’s not Manu who won a medal, a bronze, it is veteran shooter Heena Sidhu who did it.

Heena, who was on the verge of elimination in the final at one stage, made a brilliant comeback to win a bronze after coming close to securing a silver medal. Seventh and close to an early elimination, Heena raised her game her second shot in elimination stage was worth 10.6, and she then hit 10.6, 10.3, 10.5, 10 and 10.1 to come to striking distance of gold. Her next four shots were worth 9.7, 10.3, 10.2 and a fantastic 10.8, just .1 off the perfect score of 10.9. The last shot put her just .1 off the lead. On her next shot, the 22nd, she needed to get 10.2 to ensure a silver for herself that would have left only Heena and China’s China’s Wang Qian in the field to fight for gold.

However, her next shot was worth 9.6 her worst shot in the final and she had to settle for a bronze with a final score 219.2. Wang Qian scored 240.3, an Asian Games record, to win gold ahead of South Korea’s Kim Minjung (237.6).
Heena, a multiple World Cup gold medallist and former world No. 1, had qualified in seventh position for the final with 571 points. But the shooters start afresh in the final, and Heena was able to start anew. Heena now has medals in three straight Asian Games, but the earlier medals came in team events this is her first individual Asiad medal.