<p>Beijing Games gold medallist Abhinav Bindra today crashed out of the 10m air rifle event at the London Olympics with a dismal display in the qualifying rounds, but compatriot Gagan Narang kept alive India's hopes by advancing to the medal round here.<br /><br />Bindra, who scripted history four years ago by becoming the country's first-ever individual gold medallist in the Olympics, shot 594 out of 600 to finish a shocking 16th out of 47 competitors and lost the golden chance of becoming the world's first shooter to win two successive gold medals at the mega event.<br /><br />However, Narang kept India in the hunt by finishing third with 598, a point behind world number 1 Niccolo Campriani of Italy and Romania's Moldoveanu Alin George who both shot an Olympic record-equalling 599 to stand first and second in the qualifying round at the Royal Artillery Barracks.</p>.<p>Bindra started with two 99s in the first two series before coming back strongly by getting two perfect 10s for consecutive 100s in the third and fourth rounds.<br />The two 100s gave Bindra the lift and the belief he badly needed after dropping a point each in the first two sets.<br /><br />However, a 99 in the fifth and an even poorer outing in the last series where he could score just 97, dashed Bindra's chances of earning a berth in the eight-man finals to be held later today.<br /><br />This was the only event the 29-year-old Bindra from Chandigarh was taking part in, thereby cutting short his campaign in the ongoing Games.<br /><br />Narang, on the other hand, was bang on target from the beginning, scoring two successive 100s, but a 98 in the third series somewhat let him down.<br /><br />The 29-year-old Hyderabadi, however kept his cool and fought his way back into the reckoning for the medal round with a perfect 100 in the fourth series and then clinched the spot as the third best performer by notching two more 100s in his last two rounds.<br /><br />Narang, a two-time world record setter, had won four gold medals in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and followed that up with two two silver in the Guangzhou Asian Games a month later.<br /><br />He had also won four yellow metals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. </p>
<p>Beijing Games gold medallist Abhinav Bindra today crashed out of the 10m air rifle event at the London Olympics with a dismal display in the qualifying rounds, but compatriot Gagan Narang kept alive India's hopes by advancing to the medal round here.<br /><br />Bindra, who scripted history four years ago by becoming the country's first-ever individual gold medallist in the Olympics, shot 594 out of 600 to finish a shocking 16th out of 47 competitors and lost the golden chance of becoming the world's first shooter to win two successive gold medals at the mega event.<br /><br />However, Narang kept India in the hunt by finishing third with 598, a point behind world number 1 Niccolo Campriani of Italy and Romania's Moldoveanu Alin George who both shot an Olympic record-equalling 599 to stand first and second in the qualifying round at the Royal Artillery Barracks.</p>.<p>Bindra started with two 99s in the first two series before coming back strongly by getting two perfect 10s for consecutive 100s in the third and fourth rounds.<br />The two 100s gave Bindra the lift and the belief he badly needed after dropping a point each in the first two sets.<br /><br />However, a 99 in the fifth and an even poorer outing in the last series where he could score just 97, dashed Bindra's chances of earning a berth in the eight-man finals to be held later today.<br /><br />This was the only event the 29-year-old Bindra from Chandigarh was taking part in, thereby cutting short his campaign in the ongoing Games.<br /><br />Narang, on the other hand, was bang on target from the beginning, scoring two successive 100s, but a 98 in the third series somewhat let him down.<br /><br />The 29-year-old Hyderabadi, however kept his cool and fought his way back into the reckoning for the medal round with a perfect 100 in the fourth series and then clinched the spot as the third best performer by notching two more 100s in his last two rounds.<br /><br />Narang, a two-time world record setter, had won four gold medals in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and followed that up with two two silver in the Guangzhou Asian Games a month later.<br /><br />He had also won four yellow metals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. </p>
