Pune, 22 April (H.S.):

Sobho Giants emerged triumphant in the inaugural Shooting League of Maharashtra, dominating Palghar Golden Finger 17-7 in the mixed team final to claim the title and herald a transformative era for the sport in the state.

Aamhi Punekar secured bronze with a 16-14 verdict over Sangli Alpha Lions in the third-place playoff. Standouts included Gojiri of Amravati Dhuruandhar as top rifle shooter with 55 hits; Jaj of Sobho Giants leading pistol marksmen at 42 hits; Amravati Dhuruandhar's rifle squad topping teams at 89 hits; and Sobho Giants' pistol unit excelling with 72 hits.

This franchise-format spectacle united 18 district squads—144 athletes from Tier-2 and Tier-3 locales alongside veterans—bridging grassroots talent with elite competition and priming the ground for the national Shooting League of India.

Former world No. 1 and Olympian Anjali Bhagwat praised the pressure-cooker format for forging resilience suited to global stages. Ex-Olympian Deepali Deshpande hailed the Maharashtra Rifle Association's collaborative triumph, vowing enhanced execution next year. National team coach Ronak Pandit emphasized its role in democratizing and glamorizing shooting for mass appeal. As India's second state-level league post-Karnataka's success, it solidifies a franchise-driven future for precision marksmanship.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar