India celebrated a triumphant day at the Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, with double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker clinching a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol and junior shooter Rashmika Sahgal dominating with individual and team gold in the junior women’s air pistol event.

The championships, held at the Shymkent Shooting Range, saw India’s shooters amass a total of five gold, two silver, and four bronze medals, reinforcing the nation’s growing prowess in the sport. Bhaker’s bronze and Sahgal’s double gold highlighted a stellar performance, with additional medals from teammates across senior, junior, and youth categories.

In the women’s 10m air pistol final, Manu Bhaker scored 219.7 to secure third place, trailing China’s Qianke Ma (243.2) and Korea’s Jiin Yang (241.6). Bhaker, who qualified with a score of 583, also contributed to a team bronze alongside Asian Games champion Palak (573) and Suruchi Singh (574). Despite a strong start, Bhaker battled intense competition from Yang and Iran’s Haniyeh Rostamiyan, ultimately clinching bronze with critical high-scoring shots, including a 10.5 on her 11th shot.

Meanwhile, Rashmika Sahgal delivered a commanding performance in the junior women’s final, scoring 241.9 to outpace Korea’s Han Seunghyun by 4.3 points. Her 10.9 on the 15th shot sealed her individual gold, complemented by a team gold with Vanshika Chaudhary and Mohini Singh.

India’s medal haul extended beyond Bhaker and Sahgal, with junior men’s air pistol bronze from Jonathan Gavin Antony and youth men’s air pistol gold and bronze from Girish Gupta and Dev Pratap, respectively, alongside a youth team gold. Since Monday, India has dominated the 10m air pistol events, with Kapil Bainsla’s junior gold and team silver on the opening day setting the tone.

The Khelo India initiative’s support for grassroots talent was evident, as young shooters like Sahgal showcased remarkable consistency. With India’s shooters continuing to compete in remaining events, the nation is poised to further bolster its impressive tally at the championship.

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