Almaty (Kazakhstan), May 27 (IANS): Bhowneesh Mendiratta, who bagged the quota place for Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, registered his best finish in a first-ever World Cup stage final, ending fifth in the Men's Trap competition at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Shotgun.

He did well to outlast two-time world and Tokyo 2020 Mixed Team Trap champion Alberto Fernandez of Spain in a high-quality final. Massimo Fabbrizi, the two-time world champion and London Olympics silver medallist, won gold, finishing with 45 hits in the 50-shot final.

Australian James Willet, the Trap Mixed Team world champion, won silver while yet another former world champion, Khalid Almudhaf of Kuwait, won bronze.

The Bhowneesh had earlier finished fifth in qualification with a score of 121. He went down in a shoot-off with Italian Giovanni Pellielo 5-4, to give up on fourth place. Two other Indians, Zoravar Singh Sandhu and Prithviraj Tondaiman shot identical scores of 117 to finish 12th and 13th respectively.

The 23-year-old Bhowneesh started the final in fourth place after the first 10 targets and then had 21 out of the first 25, at which stage Fernandez had to bow out. The legend had the same score as the Indian, but on account of being the sixth to qualify, could not make further progress. Bhowneesh then missed the 28th and 29th targets to depart after 30 targets.

In Women's Trap, Shreyasi Singh finished 10th with a score of 114, while Manisha Keer was 19th with 109. Preeti Rajak was 32nd with 98 to her name.

With only the Trap Mixed coming up, India are still searching for a third medal and are currently placed fifth with a silver and bronze medal in their kitty.