Shristy Kamal, Pune
Indian shooters left a remarkable impact at the Asian Games, clinching three medals, including a gold, with their exceptional marksmanship. The Indian shooting team demonstrated their talent by securing five top-three positions in the two-day competition, showcasing the nation’s prowess in the sport.
Led by teenage world champion Rudrankksh Patil, the Indian 10m air rifle team created history by winning India’s first-ever gold medal at the Asian Games. They achieved this feat by setting a new world record score, establishing themselves as top-tier marksmen. Contributing to India’s medal tally, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar secured an individual bronze medal, bringing the country’s total shooting medals in the Games to four. Tomar engaged in a closely contested battle with Rudrankksh, who finished in the fourth position.
In the 10m air rifle team event, Rudrankksh, Olympian Divyansh Singh Panwar, and Aishwary displayed outstanding performance, scoring a remarkable 1893.7 in the qualification round. They outperformed strong teams like China and South Korea, clinching the gold medal. Nineteen-year-old Rudrankksh Patil showcased his skills with a score of 632.5, while Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar scored 631.6 points, and Divyansh Singh Panwar contributed 629.6 points, setting a new world record for India. South Korea secured second place with a combined score of 1890.1, closely followed by the Chinese team with 1888.2 points.
Both Rudrankksh and Tomar advanced to the eight-shooter finals due to their outstanding performances in the qualification round. Divyansh missed out due to an Asian Games regulation allowing only two marksmen from each country in the finals. China’s Sheng Lihao led the qualification round with a score of 634.5, setting an Asian Games record. Rudrankksh and Tomar secured the third and fifth positions, respectively, among the qualifiers. The impressive scores of the Indian trio positioned them strongly for the team gold, while their competitors struggled to keep up.