Down with flu, Bindra clinches gold

Unwell since Tuesday, Bindra asserted his class as he defeted the reigning Asian Games champion Zhu Qinan by 0.3 points in the 10-meter air rifle event of the Asian shooting championship in Doha, Qatar on Friday.

Bindra had to take strong medication in order to participate in the event, but this dedication indeed paid him rich dividends.

The champion had a great qualifying round, where he shot 597 out of 600 following a series of 100, 99, 100, 98, 100, 100. Going into the final round, Bindra was one point behind the Chinese pair of Zhu, Asian Games champion, and Wang Tao who had 598 each.

He recorded a great series of 10.7, 10.8, 10.6, 10.3, 9.9, 10.3, 10.2, 10.3, 10.5 and 10.5 in the 10-shot final.

"Even though I was unwell, my focus was intact, and I\\\’m happy that I won gold," said Bindra.

He added that the Asian Chanpionship was part of his training schedule for the London Olympics and he will now work harder for te games.

Gagan Narang, who along with Bindra, holds the Olympic quota, finished fourth with a score of 595 in the qualifying and 103.2 in the final.

Another Indian in fray, Satyendra Singh shot 582 to be placed 30th in a field of 51 and it helped the team to bag the silver medal, one point ahead of Mongolia and South Korea. China shot a world record of 1,793, 19 points ahead of India, to snatch the gold.