Jung bang on target, Renu lifts gold

Melbourne, Mar 18 (UNI) Shooting ranges are turning out to be the goldmine for the Indian contingent and ace marksman Samresh Jung scripted two gold medal wins while Renu Bala Yumnam Chanu emulated felow Manipuri Kunjarani Devi by winning a weightlifting gold on day three of the 18th Commonwealth Games here today.

India have 11 medals in their kitty, including seven gold, three silver and one bronze.

Samresh Jung was pick of the pack today as he helped India win two gold medals and also set new Games records in the process.

Samresh partnered Vivek Singh to win the gold in men's 10m Air Pistol Pairs and later in the afternoon paired with Ronak Pandit to add the men's 25m Standard Pistol Pairs gold to his kitty.

Jung and Pandit totalled 1139 to push the Australian pair of David Moore and Bruce Quick to distant second spot (1112) for a silver while South African Allan Stuart Mcdonald and Francois Daniel took the bronze with 1106.

The previous Game record in this event was 1130.

Earlier, Jung (578) and Vivek Singh (576) gunned down gold for the country with a new Games record.

The duo, which was relegated to silver in men's 50 Air Pistol Pairs yesterday, broke the Games record held by England on way to the gold medal.

India totalled 1154, narrowly edged out the experienced English pair of Mick Gault and Nick Baxter (1152).

Thirty six-year-old Samresh is looking at eight medals as he is shooting in four events which have individual and pairs.

The Indian pair was actually trailing at the halfway mark and then rallied in the second half of the contest. And in fact the gold was won virtually in the closing stages as England's Nick Baxter seemed to falter.

Mick Gault, one of the most experienced shooters in the world, held his own but Baxter's poor form cost them the gold and England finished merely two points behind.

India now have won five gold and one silver in shooting and lead the event's medal tally.

Jung and Vivek, shot scores of 578 and 576 respectively, and now seem geared for individual medals next week. Their total of 1154 broke the record of 1145 held by England since 1998.

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