Indian shooting stars lit up the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship with medals aplenty, though Manu Bhaker endured shoot-off agony in the women’s 25m pistol final. Vietnam’s Thuy Trang Nguyen emerged champion after outlasting Bhaker at Dr. Karni Singh Range.
Isha Singh’s perfect opener set a high bar, outscoring Bhaker and Nguyen initially. The trio traded leads in a riveting contest. Nguyen’s sixth-series perfection created breathing room, but Indian pressure mounted.
Isha led post-eighth at 30, only to falter in the ninth, securing bronze—her second personal medal. Manu’s three final shots versus Nguyen’s two triggered shoot-offs: first even at 2-2, second a miss for Manu, yielding silver.
Rhythm Sangwan’s fourth place highlighted team strength. Juniors excelled too—Naimya Kapoor’s shoot-off masterclass (3-0 over Aisyifa after 29-all) netted gold. Anjali Bhagwat bronzed at 24; Parisha Gupta fifth at 14.
Senior and junior team golds swelled India’s count to 60 medals: 37 gold, 13 silver, 10 bronze. This haul reflects rigorous training paying dividends, positioning India as Asia’s shooting powerhouse with eyes on Olympic glory.