Sports
The 16th Asian Shooting Championship was recently held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, where Indian shooters showed an absolute record-breaking performance. The Indian contingent delivered a stellar performance across Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun events, bagging 99 medals, including 50 Gold, 26 Silver, and 23 Bronze medals. This phenomenal display resulted in India topping the medal tally of the tournament.
From August 16 to 30, the world saw India leave behind giants like Kazakhstan (21 gold, 24 silver, 25 bronze) and China (15 gold, 17 silver, 5 bronze). This performance was a clear statement on how bright India’s future is in the sport of shooting.
Golden Moments for India
1. Sift Kaur Samra clinched a golden double in the women’s 50m rifle 3 position, winning gold in both individual events with the score of 459.2 and team gold with 1753 points.
- Two-time Olympian Elavenil Valarivan captured the women’s 10m air rifle gold, registering a new Asian record, and later partnered with Arjun Babuta to win gold in the mixed team event.
3. History written by Neeru Dhana by being the first Indian woman to win gold in women’s trap shooting.
4. With a combined total of 572 points, Gurpreet Singh’s star performance gave India gold in the men’s 25m standard pistol individual and team events.
5. Ankur Mittal bagged gold in men’s double trap, setting a world record in the process.
6. Manini Kaushik struck her first international medal with a bronze medal in the women’s 50m rifle prone, while her team secured silver in the same category.
7. Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished strong with 3 bronze medals.
A Performance of The Ages
The shooting contingent of India in the 16th Asian Shooting Championship was its largest ever, with 35 senior shooters and 129 junior shooters. The result reflected these numbers and the depth it held. The contingent showed sheer dominance in both senior and junior events.
The historic performance is nothing but the return on the long investment in grassroots programs, high-performance centres, and international exposure. This championship, in many ways, ensured a brighter future for the Indian Shooting scenario in upcoming big events. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), delighted by the performance, said, “It is a spectacular performance, and it is quite clear that the confidence of the shooting ecosystem is sky-high and significantly boosted by our performance at the Paris Olympics. Particularly pleasing is the performance of the juniors, which tells you that Indian shooting has just begun and greater things are sure to come in the near future”
A Defining Moment in Indian Shooting
The 16th Asian Shooting Championship 2025 will be remembered in history as the tournament where India did not just stand as strong contenders but became the undisputed leader in the Asian championship. These 99 medals, especially 50 golds leading the tally, are a positive step towards the brighter future of Indian Shooting in global competitions.
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