Esha Singh Clinches Gold at Asian Championship in 10m Air Pistol
Esha Singh Triumphs in Women's 10m Air Pistol
Esha Singh, a former mixed team world champion, secured her second Asian Championship gold medal by winning the women's 10m air pistol event with a score of 239.8 at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges on Wednesday, marking the first day of the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026. The shooter from Hyderabad, who previously won this event in Jakarta two years ago, started off in seventh place after the initial series of five shots. However, she made a remarkable comeback, taking the lead after her 19th shot in the 24-shot final. Cheng Yen-Ching and Yu Ai-Wen from Chinese Taipei followed her to the podium, earning silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Samrat Rana Secures Bronze in Men's 10m Air Pistol
Samrat Rana, the reigning world champion, claimed the bronze medal in the men's 10m air pistol event. Uzbekistan's Vladimir Svechnikov took home the gold with a score of 242.0, while Kazakhstan's Valeriy Rakhimzan finished just a point behind to win silver. Samrat concluded the competition with a score of 220.3.
India's Dominance in Team Events
In team events, India excelled by winning the women's team gold in air pistol. The trio of Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Suruchi Singh achieved a combined score of 1726, outpacing the silver medalists from Vietnam by 13 points. Additionally, the men's air pistol team, consisting of Samrat, Sharvan Kumar, and Varun Tomar, secured the silver medal.
Jonathan Antony Achieves Double Gold in Junior Category
In the junior men's 10m air pistol event, Jonathan Gavin Antony mirrored Esha's success by winning double gold. He triumphed in the individual contest with a score of 240.9 and teamed up with Chirag Sharma and Priyanshu Yadav to secure the team gold.
India Leads Medal Tally on Day 1
On the first day of the championship, India amassed a total of nine medals, including six golds and two silvers, placing them at the top of the medal tally, significantly ahead of Uzbekistan.
Clean Sweep in Men's Youth Competition
In the concluding event of the day, the men's youth 10m air pistol competition, India achieved a 1-2 finish. Dhairya Parashar won gold, while Mandeep Chauhan took silver in the individual category. The duo, along with Girish Gupta, also clinched the team gold.