PUNE: Naamya Kapoor was an unknown name in the country till Monday. The class-nine student remained almost invisible to the shooting fraternity despite making it to the junior team in August. And when she won gold at the ISSF Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru, she set the National Rifle Association of India’s phone line busy.
Naamya, 14, became the youngest Indian shooter to win an international medal when she clinched the women’s 25m pistol gold on Monday.
On her way to the gold, Naamya, the youngest among the eight finalists, defeated many experienced shooters, including Manu Bhaker.
Naamya scored 36 to top the podium and defeated France’s Camille Jedrzejewski, 19, who scored 33 to win silver. Manu had to settle for bronze after finishing with a score of 31. She had won two gold in 10m air pistol individual, mixed team and
Another Indian in the fray, Rhythm Sangwan finished fourth after shooting 27.
The Delhi girl is participating in her first international tournament since making it to the Indian team after finishing second in the national trials in August.
“Naamya has been shooting for the past three years with her elder sister Khushi. This is the first time she is travelling out of India alone, but she handled herself well,” Naamya’s father Praveen told TOI.
Naamya, a resident of Rajouri Garden in Delhi, travels to Faridabad daily to train.
“She trains at the Aim shooting range in Faridabad and has to travel for almost three to four hours daily. But she is very dedicated and doesn’t mind spending her day at the range,” he added.
In the qualification round, Manu qualified for the final with the top-score of 587, followed by Rhythm with 586. Naamya was fifth in the qualifying round with 580.
