Udhayveer Sidhu edges Christian Reitz to win men's 10m air pistol gold in Cairo
Udhayveer Sidhu beat Germany’s Christian Reitz to win gold in the men’s 10m air pistol final at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday, edging Reitz by 0.5 points. The 24-year-old recorded 240.6 in the final to Reitz’s 240.1, with Italy’s Paolo Monna taking bronze on 219.8, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) reported.
Sidhu produced two decisive shots in the closing stage after trailing Reitz by 0.3 points with two attempts remaining, responding with 10.2 and 9.8 while Reitz scored 9.6 on both his final shots. The NRAI account gives the final totals as 240.6 for Sidhu, 240.1 for Reitz and 219.8 for Monna. Sidhu’s victory came as part of India’s campaign at the Cairo World Cup.
Sidhu reached the eight-man final in fourth place, qualifying with a total of 585 across six series. His qualification series were 99, 98, 98, 97, 97 and 96, according to the NRAI report.
India’s Jonathan Gavin Antony, competing in the Ranking Points Only (RPO) category, posted a qualification score of 586, which the NRAI said matched Paolo Monna’s highest qualification score. Other Indian qualification results listed by the NRAI included Ajendra Singh Chauhan on 580 and Kumar Yogesh, in the RPO category, on 573.
Olympic bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh scored 574 in qualification and finished 31st, the NRAI noted. Among finalists, Turkey’s Paris 2024 Olympic medallist Yusuf Dikec placed seventh with 138.0, Greece’s Georgios Gampierakis was fourth on 198.7 and Latvia’s Emils Vasermanis finished fifth with 177.6.
The NRAI statement said India’s delegation in Cairo comprises 24 shooters, led by Olympic bronze medallists Swapnil Suresh Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, and will contest eight individual Olympic disciplines and two mixed team events. Sidhu’s gold adds to India’s medal returns at the ongoing meet.
The ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Cairo runs from October 8 to 16, during which Sidhu’s gold in the men’s 10m air pistol was secured.