She bags a bronze medal in ongoing Olympic qualifiers in Jakarta to help the country secure a Paris Olympics berth

CHENNAI: It has barely been two years since Rhythm Sangwan began competing at the elite level and yet she has become one of the recognizable faces in Indian shooting.

Her nose for big scores and her ability to compete in two vital Olympic events with similar amounts of output have made her one of the key members of the team, especially ahead of the upcoming Paris Games. But despite her talent and her visible aptitude for the sport, she has had to be patient.

In a sport that is defined by fine margins, Rhythm has had to endure some harsh realities in crunch moments, moments that have seen her miss out on potential medals in marquee competitions. During the Asian Games, where Indian shooters had a historic campaign, the team gold (25m pistol) masked her miss in the individual category. Moreover, despite her decent efforts at elite competitions, which included her shattering a Qualification World Record (women's 25m pistol), she was yet to earn an Olympic quota for the country.

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But a talent like Rhythm cannot be denied for long.

On Thursday, Rhythm's wait for an Olympic quota finally ended after she pocketed a bronze medal in the ongoing Asian Championship, an Olympic qualifying event, in Jakarta. After near-perfect hits in the rapid stage of women's 25m pistol qualification, she showed she can thrive under pressure in the finals. Despite flirting with danger early on in the finals (she missed five out of her first 10 shots), Rhythm managed to steady the ship and get back on track before finishing off strongly. Incidentally, this is India's 16th Olympic quota in the sport so far, which is the highest ever. In the last Olympics in Tokyo, India had won 15 quotas. During the 2016 Olympics in Rio, India had won 12 quotas.

Jiin Yang and Kim Yeji, meanwhile, led South Korea to a one-two finish.

With Rhythm's effort, India now has secured the maximum number of quotas (two) in this event. Manu Bhaker, who is not part of this ongoing continental event, had won the other quota last year. The latest outcome should come as a big relief for the 20-year-old, who was inspired by her father, DSP in the Haryana Police, to pursue the craft. J

ust a few days ago, she had captured a bronze medal but missed out on the all-important quota to compatriot Esha Singh.