Indian shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar delivered a commanding performance to secure the gold medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. The 24-year-old Olympian scored 462.5, outpacing China’s Wenyu Zhao (462.0) for silver and Japan’s Naoya Okada (445.8) for bronze. Aishwary, who also won this event in 2023, maintained a lead throughout much of the competition, excelling in the kneeling position and holding a crucial 1.5-point advantage entering the final standing round. Alongside teammates Chain Singh and Akhil Sheoran, he also clinched a silver medal in the team event with a score of 1747, narrowly trailing China’s 1750.
In the junior men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event, Adriyan Karmakar emerged as a standout, claiming gold with an Asian junior record score of 463.8. Starting strong in the kneeling position, Adriyan held a 0.9-point lead after 15 shots and extended it to 3.2 by the standing phase, fending off a late surge from China’s Han Yinan, who took silver. Vedant Waghmare, another Indian contender, finished strong but was edged out for bronze. The trio of Adriyan, Vedant, and Rohit Kanyan secured the team gold with a combined score of 1733, showcasing India’s depth in the junior category.
The championship highlighted India’s growing prowess in shooting, with additional notable performances. Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist, finished fourth in the women’s 25m pistol qualification, while Esha Singh secured second in the same event. Despite Chain Singh and Akhil Sheoran placing fourth and fifth in the men’s individual final, their contributions to the team silver underscored India’s consistent excellence. Aishwary’s second continental title and Adriyan’s record-breaking junior triumph mark a significant moment for Indian shooting, reinforcing the nation’s reputation as a rising force in the sport.
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