Indian Shooters Shine at Asian Games 2026 with Medal Wins

Medal Achievements on Day Two

On the second day of the Asian Games 2026, Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil highlighted the significance of maintaining focus for shooters, who are among the country's strongest representatives at this continental event. The aim is to secure as many medals as possible to create momentum for the entire team.

Shooting Success on Day Two

India's shooting team added three medals to their tally during the 20th Asian Games on Monday, featuring a remarkable double podium finish in the Men's 10m Air Rifle event at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery. Himanshu Dhillon earned silver, while Rudrankksh Patil took home bronze in a competitive eight-man final, with China's Sheng Lihao winning gold. The medal rush commenced in the morning qualification round, which also served as the team final based on aggregate scores. Patil led the Indian squad with a solid score of 631.8, finishing third overall, while Dhillon followed closely with 630.0 for seventh place, and Parth Mane contributed 628.3. Their combined score of 1890.1 secured team silver, just behind China's world-record score of 1899.0, and ahead of South Korea's 1884.2 for bronze. Patil and Dhillon's qualification scores also placed them in the individual top eight, allowing them to compete in the final.

Rudrankksh Patil's Reflections

After winning his medal, Rudrankksh, who previously secured gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, expressed his desire for a gold medal but acknowledged that 'something is better than nothing.' He stated, 'I am feeling very happy and proud to bring two medals for the country. While we were hoping for gold, we managed to secure a bronze and a silver, and both our flags were on the podium, which makes me very happy.'

Creating Momentum for the Team

Rudrankksh emphasized the importance of shooting in contributing to India's medal tally at the Asian Games, noting that it often serves as a catalyst for further successes. 'As shooters, it is our duty to build momentum for the entire team. The more medals we win, the more confident the rest of our contingent feels. We must stay focused on every shot and aim to win as many medals as possible to uplift the entire team,' he added.

A Challenging Journey to Japan

Rudrankksh described his journey to Japan as a 'rollercoaster,' mentioning that his flight from Bhopal to Delhi had to land in Jaipur due to an emergency, from where they traveled to Japan. He shared that they spent considerable time traveling and training, which helped boost their confidence for the competition. 'Once we arrived, things were a bit delayed, and the journey took about three days. However, Japan is a beautiful country, and after a few days of good training, I felt confident about our chances,' he remarked.

Diet and Relaxation for Shooters

Discussing dietary habits post-medal win, Rudrankksh mentioned that shooters do not impose strict dietary restrictions but rather indulge in moderation. 'Shooting is not solely a physical sport; mental relaxation is crucial for focus. We enjoy our cheat days while maintaining balance. During training, it’s about timing and moderation rather than complete restriction. Competitions are more enjoyable because we can eat, explore, and relax freely,' he concluded.

Finals Overview

In the individual 10m air rifle final, both Rudrankksh and Himanshu demonstrated composure throughout the progressive-elimination format. Rudrankksh set an early lead with scores of 52.8 and 53.2, moving ahead with 127.4 after 12 shots, while Himanshu followed closely. After 16 shots, China's Sheng took the lead, and despite Himanshu's late consistency, Rudrankksh's 9.7 score led to his exit after 22 shots, finishing with 230.9 for bronze. Himanshu then faced Sheng in a two-man shoot-off, where both scored 10.6, but Sheng secured gold with 233.0, leaving Himanshu with silver at 231.0. This brings India's shooting medal count at these Games to five, including four silvers and a bronze, following an earlier silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event.