What is a frame hit? How India missed out on a medal in women’s 25m shooting at the Asian Games

India’s shooting campaign at the Asian Games suffered another setback on Monday, September 28, when the defending champions finished fifth in the women’s 25m team event. Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rahi Sarnobat finished with 1,727 points, eight behind silver medalists South Korea and seven behind bronze medalists Chinese Taipei, after China took the gold with 1,743.

India were in contention for a medal before a disastrous quick series from Sarnobat changed the complexion of the contest.

Sarnobat registered a frame hit during a key phase of the contest, resulting in a zero for that shot. India subsequently appealed the decision, believing that the missile was not properly registered by the evaluation technology.

However, the Asian Games authorities rejected the appeal and upheld the original decision.

WHAT IS A HIT FRAME?

A frame hit occurs when a shot hits the frame surrounding the scoring area rather than the target itself, resulting in no score. Courtesy: Reddit

Asian Games Live: Update 28 September

In a high-pressure competition like the Asian Games, hitting a frame can be especially costly, as every shot counts in a team competition where the final standings are determined by the combined scores of the three shooters.

In Sarnobat’s case, India believed the zero could have been the result of a technical problem with the scoring system. The matter was reviewed, but authorities concluded that the Sarnobat had fired before properly settling on the target and upheld the call for action.

One of the shooting coaches explained to India Today that such a mistake can happen under pressure, especially when the shooter fails to settle properly before shooting.

The zero came at a crucial moment for India, who were chasing a podium finish. Sarnobat’s quick streak ultimately proved too costly for the defending champions to recover.

INDIA’S APPEAL FAILS

The Indian team did not settle for the score. India appealed the decision to hit the frame, arguing that the shot was not properly registered by the technology. Authorities reviewed the incident before confirming the original decision. Rahi Sarnobat argues with the judge at the women’s 25m pistol competition. (PTI photo)

This left India with no way back into medal contention through an appeal.

The incident was particularly painful because the edges at the top were relatively small. India eventually finished with 1727 points, 16 behind China, eight behind South Korea and seven behind Chinese Taipei.

The defending champions entered the tournament with a star-studded line-up, but the team failed to get the scores needed to stay on the podium.

MANU BHAKER RETURNS WITHOUT A MEDAL

And the responsibility for fifth place cannot rest solely on Sarnobat. Manu Bhaker, one of India’s top medal hopes in shooting, also had a disappointing performance in the individual qualifiers.

Bhaker finished 11th with a score of 579 and failed to reach the singles final. Meanwhile, Esha Singh reached the final after finishing eighth with 580.

Sarnobat finished 30th with 568, including a disastrous fourth series in which she scored 39 points.

For a team that was in medal contention, the combined score left too much room for India to level. The result was yet another disappointment for the Indian shooting contingent at the Asian Games, which entered the competition with high expectations after winning medals in several events.

– The end