Strong Performances Mark Day One of National Rifle/Pistol Selection Trials

The first day of the National Rifle/Pistol Selection Trials at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range showcased remarkable performances, with Manini Kaushik and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar leading in their respective categories. The competition was intense, particularly in the women's 50m rifle prone event, where only a narrow margin separated the top contenders. Aishwary Pratap demonstrated his prowess in the men's category, establishing a significant lead. As the trials continue, anticipation builds for the upcoming finals and further stages of competition.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 20, 2026, 15:30 IST

Day One Highlights from the National Selection Trials

The opening day of the Rifle/Pistol National Selection Trials 1 and 2 (Group A) at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi showcased impressive performances, particularly in the 50m rifle prone events. Manini Kaushik from Rajasthan and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, a silver medalist at the world championships in 50m rifle 3P, emerged as leaders in the women's and men's categories, respectively, during Selection Trial 1.

Manini Kaushik excelled in the women's 50m rifle prone event, scoring a total of 625.0. Her consistent performance included series scores of 104.7, 104.2, 102.3, 104.6, 104.2, and 105. Tilottama Sen from Karnataka secured the second position with a score of 622.6, while Vidarsa K Vinod from Kerala took third place with 622.0.

The competition was fierce, with only 0.4 points separating the fifth to eighth positions. Supriya Kumari from Jharkhand finished fourth with 621.7, followed closely by Priya from the Army Marksmanship Unit, the current national champion, who scored 620.7. Nischal from Haryana (620.6), Ashi Chouksey from Madhya Pradesh (620.5), and a shooter from Punjab (620.4) rounded out the top eight.

In the men's 50m rifle prone Trials 1, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar demonstrated his dominance, finishing first with an impressive score of 629.6. The national champion in 50m 3P achieved this with a strong opening series and a steady finish, creating a 3.2-point lead with scores of 105.3, 105.4, 105.7, 104.9, 103.7, and 104.6.

Former world champion Akhil Sheoran claimed the second spot with 626.4, while the current national champion, Swapnil Kusale, secured third with 625.3. Army shooters Nishan Budha (623.8) and Chain Singh (622.9) followed in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Completing the top eight were Navy's Nikhil Tanwar (621.9), Army's Babu Singh Panwar (621.6), and Navy shooter Niraj Kumar (620.6).

In the T1 of the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event, Navy's Omkar Singh leads after Stage 1 of qualification with a score of 295-14x. Bhavesh Shekhawat from Rajasthan and Ankur Goel from Uttar Pradesh are in second and third with scores of 292-9x and 291-10x, respectively. World Championship silver medalist Anish Bhanwala is currently in seventh place with a score of 286-12x. The second stage and T1 finals are scheduled for Tuesday.

Additionally, the finals for the 50m Rifle 3 Positions (T1) for both men and women will take place on Tuesday, along with the T2 finals for the 50m rifle prone events.