What is an X in shooting? Find out the reason behind Sarabjot Singh missing out on the final despite scoring same points as eight-placed Robin Walter
Indian shooter Sarabjot Singh experienced a heart-wrenching end to his participation in the 10m Air Pistol event at the Paris Olympics 2024. Despite finishing with an equal score as Germany’s Robin Walter, Singh ultimately missed out on securing a spot in the final due to a slight edge in the tie-breaker criteria.
Singh started on a high note with scores of 94 in Series 1, 97 in Series 2, and 96 in Series 3. Building on this momentum, Singh continued with incredible consistency and shot a perfect 100 in Series 4, putting him in the top 8, set for a place in the final round. However, a disappointing 93 in Series 5 caused a drop in his standings, placing him outside the top 8 qualifiers at 12th.
Sarabjot Singh staged a remarkable comeback in the final series with a score of 97, finishing with a total of 577 points. However, Robin Walter also scored 577, equaling Singh’s score. The German just edged Singh out due to a greater number of Xs—17 compared to Singh’s 16. This minor yet crucial difference allowed Walter to advance to the final, leaving Singh in ninth place.
What is an X in shooting?
In Air Pistol shooting, the target is usually made of light-colored cardboard and measures 17 cm by 17 cm (6.7 by 6.7 in). Concentric circles with scoring zones from 7 through 10 are printed on them. There is also an additional inner ring or inner ten ring on the target. A shot that hits this inner ten ring is known as an X.
When shooters tie in the total score, the number of Xs becomes the first tie-breaking criterion. This is what differentiated Sarabjot Singh and Robin Walter after the two scored equal points.
If shooters are still tied after comparing the number of Xs, officials then examine the highest scores in the last series of ten shots, working backward until the tie is resolved. If a tie persists, scores are compared on a shot-by-shot basis, starting from the last shot.
Arjun Singh Cheema also missed out on a place in the final
Apart from Sarabjot Singh, India's ace shooter Arjun Singh Cheema was also seen in contention in the 10m Air Pistol men's qualification event. Despite a strong start with 96, 97, and 97 points in the first three series, Cheema failed to sustain his form into the next two rounds and a 94 and 93 dropped him down the standings.
A 97 in the final series could only put the Indian shooter in 18th place, ending his hopes of a medal in the event.