Shooter Abdullah Hel Baki won the first medal for Bangladesh in the ongoing 21st Gold Coast Commonwealth Games with winning the silver in the 10 meter Air Rifle in Brisbane yesterday, according to a message received at Bangladesh Olympic Association office.

Baki, just fulfilled the expectation of the country to win medal in shooting in the games.

Baki, who also won the silver in the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, just succeeded in the Gold Coast with scoring 244.7 to earn the silver.

Country’s famed shooter and Olympian Asif Hossain Khan won the first-ever gold medal for Bangladesh in the same event at Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 and also clinched the gold medal in 2004 SAF Games.

Baki scored 616.0 in the qualifying and on his way to move into the final had to face huge challenge from the very  beginning  when in the 24 round games he scored highest point for several times. Specially, Baki had to fight in the 16th round to win the gold against Australian Dane Sampson and Ravi Kumar of India and after the 21st round, Ravi ousted from the gold medal contest with scoring 204.6 to confirm the bronze. Another Bangladesh male shooter Rabbi Hasan Munna eliminated from the event in qualifying round as finished 14th among the 18 competitors scoring 607.6.

In the last round Baki’s’chance was brightened to win the gold but missed very closely when he needed to score 10.1, unfortunately he could manage 9.7 and Sampson of host Australia won the gold with scoring 245 points and Baki had to remain  with the silver.

Meanwhile, two female shooters  Armina Asha and Ardina Ferdous disappointed on the day when they were eliminated in 10-metre air pistol event.

Baki, in his reaction after winning the silver said, “Actually I always try to give my best in the particular day to turn the day as my own, I know if I could score my average score here then I could do a good result, everybody encouraged me.”

About his experiences, Baki said, “The matter of experiences, there were so many strong opponents here including Indian contenders. I was not supposed to play 10 meter, after working hard and scoring up to the mark, I was selected to come here. In all respect I had a pressure on me but tried to score my best.”

On the day Bangladesh the other two athletes were eliminated from the heat when  fastest man and fastest women of the country Mejbahul Haque and Shirin Akhter could not cross the first hurdle.

Mejbah, in the 100 meter sprint ran in the number six heat and finished last among seven clocking 10:96 seconds to be 53rd off 65 runners. On the other hand Shirin finished sixth among seven in her number one heat when she took 12:72 seconds to be 38th out of 41 competitors.

Bangladesh swimmers had also a bad day in the pool.  Md Arfiful Islam secured 23rd position out of  35 competitors in the 50-metre breaststroke clocking 30.37 seconds. Mahmudun Nabi Nahid was also eliminated in the heat finishing 21st out of 29 swimmers in the 100-metre butterfly.

And in the weightlifting, Bangladesh female lifter Zahur Khatun Nisha cut a very sorry figure in the 65 Kg weight category lifting 155 kg to finish 12th and last.