Almaty (Kazakhstan), May 26 (IANS): Bhowneesh Mendiratta, who bagged a quota Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, missed two targets out of 75 and moved into the joint lead at the end of Day One of qualification in the Men's Trap competition in the on-going International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Shotgun.
The Indian shooter was tied on the same score with four others including double world champion and Tokyo 2020 Mixed Team Trap winner Alberto Fernandez of Spain. The 69-strong field will come back for two more rounds of qualification on Saturday, before the final, which is scheduled on the same day.
Bhowneesh's first and third rounds were perfect 25s. He missed only the 28th and 43rd targets and looked solid throughout.
Senior teammates Zoravar Sandhu and Prithviraj Tondaiman were lying 16th and 23rd among contenders, after shooting scores of 71 and 70 respectively. Both will look at perfect two rounds on Saturday to harbour any hopes of qualifying.
In the Women's Trap, Shreyasi Singh was the best-placed Indian, having shot 70 to lie eighth. Rio Olympic champion Catherine Skinner of Australia was leading the field with 73. Manisha Keer was lying 22nd with a 65, while Preeti Rajak was 28th with a score of 61.
With one silver and one bronze, both won in women's skeet, India are currently lying fourth on the medals tally.