Teenager Shapath Bharadwaj breaks age barrier, storms into men's shooting senior national team

New Delhi: Shapath Bharadwaj, a 14-year-old boy prodigy entered records books when by qualifying for the senior national team after finishing second in selection trials which concluded in Patiala on Saturday.

Shapath will now represent India in the World Cups at Delhi, Mexico, and Cyprus.

Setting a record for highest score in the junior nationals, Shapath scored 136/150 in the national shooting championships at Jaipur in November. Earlier, he had shot 122/150 and 136/150, respectively in the two rounds of trials at Patiala, which makes his average score 136 which is second behind Mittal.

Shapath, a resident of Meerut and class 9 student is the first junior to qualify for the senior team. After his tremendous performance and score of 136/150 at the national championship in Jaipur, he also secured second rank in junior category and third in the senior.

He has already won individual and team gold during the 13th International Grand Prix at Porpetto, Italy in July with a career-best score of 139.

Shapath won the team silver in the 8th International Shotgun Cup in Finland in June.

Giving his credit for success to his coach Yogendra Pal Singh Shapath says “I followed the technique taught by my coach.”

In reply Singh says that he's happy for success of his wards, saying “I am happy that Shapath gave his best and shot well in the trials.”