Samresh, Vivek clinch gold with new Games record

Melbourne, Mar 18(UNI) Samresh Jung and Vivek Singh won their first gold for the country with a new Games record as India's shooting success continued unabated at the Commonwealth Games here today.

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 today. India totalled 1154 to England's 1152.

The Indians narrowly edged out the experienced English pair of Mick Gault and Nick Baxter and Australian duo of Daniel Repacholi and David Moore, winners of 50m Air Pistol Pairs on first day to take the honours.

The 36-year-old Samresh Jung became the first Indian to win more than one medal and he is due to shoot in the Men's 25 Standard Pistol Pairs with Ronak Pandit later in the day. Jung is looking to win eight medals as he will be shooting in four events with individual and pairs competition.

The Indian pair was actually trailing at the halfway mark but rallied in the second half of the contest to seal the gold in the closing stages. Baxter seemed to falter towards the end and Gault's, one of the most experienced shooters in the world, good show could not compensate for Baxter's poor form as England finished a mere two points behind the Indians.

India has now won four gold and one silver in shooting and leads the event's medal tally. Jung and Vivek shot scores of 578 and 576 respectively and are now geared for individual medals next week.

Their total of 1154 broke the record of 1145 held by England since 1998.

A beaming Coach Sunny Thomas, who took over the Indian team in 1993 before the Victoria Commonwealth Games said, ''The results for Indian shooting are beginning to show now. From three gold and two silver in 1994, we have consistently improved and were number one in 2002 at Bisley.'' ''The shooters are now getting all the facilities and this is one sport that can bring India many medals even at Olympics in the future,'' he added.

In another event this morning in the men's 50m Rifle Prone Pairs, India's Joydeep Karamarkar and Sanjeev Rajput finished fifth and the gold went to England's Mike Babb and Chris Hector.

It was the first event in which India finished without medals.

They shot 1173 and lost the bronze narrowly as Wales and Australia were tied for third 1173. Wales took the gold on countback.

Deepali Deshpande and Lakshmi Priya finished ninth in 50m Rifle prone Pairs. The gold went to Scotland.

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