Doha: Shooter Maheshwari Chauhan clinched India's 21st quota spot for the Paris Olympics by capturing a silver medal in the women's skeet event at the ISSF Final Olympic Qualification Championship Shotgun in Doha.
In her debut ISSF Final, Chauhan narrowly missed out on gold, losing 3-4 to Chile's Francisca Crovetto Chadid in a shoot-off after both athletes were tied at 54 hits in the 60-shot final.
Reflecting on her achievement, Maheshwari expressed her delight, stating, "I am thrilled. There has been a lot of hard work over the years to get here. I am a bit bummed about the shoot-off, but overall, it has been very satisfying."
Starting the day as the top qualifier, Chauhan's impressive performance secured her a fourth-place finish in the final, setting a new national record with a tally of 121 hits. With Chadid already securing a quota place and China's Jiang Yiting ineligible, Maheshwari's primary competition came from three other contenders.
As the final progressed, Maheshwari displayed remarkable composure, narrowing the gap with the leader after 50 shots. Despite having three chances to claim gold, she ultimately fell short in the shoot-off rounds, conceding the top spot to Chadid.
Maheshwari's achievement not only secures India's 21st quota place for the Paris Olympics but also marks her impressive debut on the international stage, setting the stage for a promising Olympic campaign.