Indian teen shooters have delivered a stellar performance at the recent Asian Shooting Championship, securing an impressive haul of 26 medals. The young athletes showcased their talent and potential, underscoring India's strength in the sport.
The championship, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, doubled as a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics for rifle and pistol shooters. The Indian contingent's outstanding performance included securing four Olympic quotas for the country.
Individual Achievements
Several young shooters made their mark by winning individual medals. Girish Gupta led a 1-2 finish in the Youth Men's 10m Air Pistol event, claiming gold with a score of 241.3. Close behind was his compatriot, Dev Pratap, who secured the silver medal with a score of 238.6. Kapil Bainsla won gold in the Junior Men's 10m Air Pistol event, with Jonathan Gavin Antony bagging bronze. Rashmika Sahgal was crowned champion in the junior women's air pistol event.
Other notable gold medalists include Varun Tomar and Esha Singh, who won the men's and women's 10m air pistol events, respectively. Nancy secured a gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle event, while Akhil Sheoran claimed the top spot in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions. Yogesh Singh also demonstrated his prowess by winning gold medals in both the men's 25m center fire pistol and 25m standard pistol events.
Team Success
In addition to individual victories, the Indian shooters also excelled in team events. Esha Singh, Rhythm Sangwan, and Surbhi Rao clinched the gold medal in the women's 10m air pistol team event, while Varun Tomar, Arjun Singh Cheema, and Ujjawal Malik secured gold in the men's 10m air pistol team event. Mehuli Ghosh and Rudrankksh Patil also shone, winning gold in the 10m air rifle mixed team event. The Junior Men's 10m Air Pistol Team of Kapil Bainsla, Jonathan Gavin Antony, and Vijay Tomar won a silver medal. India's team of Anmol Jain, Aditya Malra, and Saurabh Chaudhary earned silver in the Men's 10m Air Pistol Team event. Rashmika Sahgal, Vanshika Chaudhary, and Mohini Singh secured the gold in the women's junior team competition. Saurabh Chaudhary and Suruchi Inder Singh won a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The youth team also won a gold in their event.
Olympic Quotas
The Asian Shooting Championships 2024 provided an opportunity for shooters to secure Olympic quotas for their countries. Indian shooters secured four quotas. Varun Tomar and Esha Singh won gold medals and secured Olympic quotas for India in the men's and women's 10m air pistol events, respectively. Rhythm Sangwan (women's 10m air pistol) and Vijayveer Sidhu (men's 25m rapid fire pistol) also obtained Olympic quotas for India. With these wins, India has now secured 17 Olympic quotas in shooting for the Paris 2024 Summer Games, marking the country's best-ever tally in the sport.
Overall Performance
The Indian contingent's performance at the Asian Shooting Championships included a total of 26 medals: 14 gold, seven silver, and five bronze. Day one of the 16th Asian Shooting Championship saw India win two gold and three silver medals. So far, India has won five gold, two silver, and four bronze medals overall.
The success of the Indian teen shooters at the Asian Shooting Championship highlights the country's growing strength in the sport. Their achievements not only bring glory to the nation but also inspire future generations of shooters to pursue their dreams and excel on the international stage.
