Indian 10m air rifle team claims gold with world record score, Aishwary bags individual bronze

The individual events also saw India shine as Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar engaged in a closely contested duel with his compatriot Rudrankksh Patil, ultimately earning India an individual bronze medal. This marked India’s fourth bronze medal in the shooting discipline at the Asian Games.

The team, consisting of Rudrankksh, Olympian Divyansh Singh Panwar, and Aishwary, displayed exceptional teamwork and skill, amassing a total score of 1893.7 in the qualification round. This outstanding performance allowed them to clinch the team gold medal, outperforming strong contenders like China and South Korea.

Indian air rifle shooters delivered an impressive and dominant performance in multi-discipline events. The 19-year-old Rudrankksh achieved a remarkable score of 632.5, closely followed by Tomar with 631.6 and Panwar with 629.6. This incredible performance led to an aggregate score that set a new world record. It pushed South Korea into the second position with a total score of 1890.1, while the Chinese team trailed far behind in third place with an aggregate score of 1888.2.

Despite their stellar performance in the qualification round, India missed out on gold or silver in the individual category, which was a disappointment. Both Tomar and Rudrankksh showcased exceptional form during the qualification round. However, their brilliance couldn’t be replicated in the eight-shooter finals. In a closely contested battle, Tomar managed to clinch the bronze medal in a shoot-off for the third position with a score of 228.8, edging out his teenage compatriot Rudrankksh.

In the individual category, Tomar had an opportunity to secure silver, but his final shot of 9.8 left him out of contention. South Korean Park Hajun secured second place, while China’s Sheng Lihao claimed gold with a world record score of 253.3.Both Rudrankksh and Tomar advanced to the eight-shooter finals after impressive performances in the qualification round. However, Divyansh missed out due to an Asian Games rule that permits only two marksmen from each country to enter the finals.Rudrankksh entered the finals in third place, with Aishwary in fifth place based on the qualification scores. In a different competition, such as a World Cup or World Championship, all three Indian shooters would have made the final. However, due to the rules, Divyansh was replaced by Kazakhstan’s Islam Satpayev, who was ninth in qualification but still qualified for the finals.

Sheng Lihao of China led the qualification round with a score of 634.5, setting an Asian Games qualification record, while South Korea’s Park Hajun was second with 632.8.

The Indian trio delivered exceptional performances, securing team gold. Rudrankksh and Aishwary were particularly outstanding. Rudrankksh’s father, Balasahab Patil, expressed his pride in his son’s accomplishments, highlighting Rudrankksh’s determination and hard work leading up to the Games.

Rudrankksh did not make the squad for the ISSF World Championship in Baku, as the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) chose to send other marksmen to maximise the country’s chances of earning additional Paris Olympic quota places. Rudrankksh had already secured an Olympic quota spot for India by winning the World Championships gold in Cairo the previous year.

During the World Championships in Baku, Rudrankksh showcased remarkable shooting skills in simulated conditions at the Karni Singh Ranges in Delhi, outperforming the gold medalist in the actual competition held in Azerbaijan.

Inputs from PTI