Asian Games: Shooters and shuttlers win a bronze each on Day 2

Incheon: Indian shooters were on target for the second successive day as they delivered a bronze in the men's 10m air pistol team event, while shuttlers bagged another medal of same hue in the women's team competition in the 17th Asian Games here today.

Dipika Pallikal also assured the country of its first women's singles squash medal in the Asian Games.

New shooting sensation Jitu Rai, who gave India the first gold medal yesterday, was again the standout performer as he guided the men's team to the bronze medal in 10m air pistol event at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range.

Rai's splendid and precise shooting, that helped him garner 585 points and qualify for the medal round with the second-best score, backed up by Samaresh Jung's 580 (who finished 9th) and Prakash Nanjappa's 578 (14th), albeit with an injured leg, helped India garner 1743 points, the same as second placed China, for the bronze.

In fact, India and China were level on points and the silver was decided by the number of Xs (bullseye) in the tens in which the latter tallied one more -- 65 to India's 64.

The gold was won by hosts South Korea with a combined tally of 1744.

In badminton, a fighting India went down to hosts South Korea 1-3 in the women's team semifinals to settle for their maiden bronze medal at the Asian Games.

This was India's first medal in badminton since the team bronze won by the men in Seoul, 1986. The country's women had to be satisfied with their first-ever medal in Asian Games history after seven bronze medals won by men.

India's number one shuttler, Saina Nehwal pulled off a great victory in three tough games against Korean world number four Sung Jihyun 21-12 10-21 21-9 in the opening match that lasted for 56 minutes.

But thereafter, the Indians lost their next three matches to go down to a formidable opponents. P V Sindhu fought tooth and nail before losing to the host country's world number six Bae Yeonju 21-14 18-21 21-13.

Korean pair of Kim Soyeong and Chang Yena won the doubles against the Indian duo of Pradnya Gadre and N Sikki Reddy 21-16 21-17 and then Kim Hyomin smashed P C Thulasi 21-12 21-18 to settle the issue in hosts' favour.  India along with other losing semifinalist Japan (who lost to title favourites China 1-3) automatically gained the bronze.

On the squash court, Dipika assured India of a maiden women's singles squash medal, while top seed Saurav Ghosal confirmed his third successive podium finish in men's singles after the two reached the semifinals of their respective events.

Ghosal defeated Pakistan's Iqbal Nasir 11-6 9-11 11-2 11-9 in a contest, which lasted 58 minutes at the Yeorumul Squash Courts.

Dipika, on the other hand, triumphed in an all-Indian battle against senior pro Joshana Chinappa 7-11 11-9 11-8 15-17 11-9.

In hockey, the men's team hammered Sri Lanka 8-0 in their pool B match to begin their campaign in style.

The tennis players were also in good form as India blanked Nepal 3-0 to sail into the quarterfinals of men's team event.

Yuki Bhambri did not drop a game en route to a crushing 6-0 6-0 win over Jeetendra Pariyar to seal the issue in India's favour, after Sanam Singh posted a comfortable 6-0 6-1 victory over Abhishek Bastola at the Yeorumul Tennis Courts.

In the inconsequential doubles tie, the Indian duo of Divij Sharan and Saketh Myneni registered a comfortable straight sets 6-0 6-0 win over Santosh Khatri and Sonam Dawa, thrashing their opponents in only 35 minutes.

However, in shooting, the men's trap trio of Mansher Singh, Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Darius Kynan Chenai flopped with all of them finishing outside the top ten.

Mansher secured the 11th position with an aggregate of 117 over two days, Sandhu secured 116 to be 14th while Chenai brought up the rear after logging 108 to end up a distant 36 out of 46 shooters.

Jitu Rai also could not add to his or the country's tally when the eight-man finals took place in 10m air pistol individual competition.

The 50m champion was leading after the sixth of the 20-shot finals in the shorter distance.