Indian Shooting Stars Deliver Stellar Performance at World Championships
Indian shooters demonstrated exceptional skill and determination at the ISSF World Championships on Saturday, securing an impressive haul of four medals that included one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. The outstanding performances highlighted India's growing dominance in international shooting sports.
Elavenil Valarivan's Bronze Medal Journey
Two-time Olympian Elavenil Valarivan delivered a thrilling performance in the women's 10m air rifle event, ultimately securing a bronze medal for India. The 26-year-old shooter appeared to be heading for gold after taking the lead midway through the finals. However, her momentum was disrupted by a 10.0 on her 19th shot, causing her to slip down the rankings.
Valarivan finished with a final score of 232.0 points, placing her behind South Korea's Ban Hyojin who scored 255.0 points and China's Wang Zifei with 254.0 points. Despite the bronze medal finish, her performance showcased the competitive spirit that has made her one of India's most promising shooting talents.
Women's Team Secures Additional Bronze
The Indian women's shooting team continued the medal success by claiming bronze in the team event. The trio of Elavenil Valarivan, Meghana Sajjanar, and Shreya Agrawal combined for a qualification score of 1893.3 points, placing them behind China with 1901.7 points and South Korea with 1899.9 points.
Individually during qualifications, Elavenil placed fifth with a score of 633.4 points, while Meghana finished 17th and Shreya secured 33rd position. The team bronze demonstrated the depth of talent in Indian women's shooting.
Ravinder Singh's Golden Moment
The highlight of the day came from Army marksman Ravinder Singh, who delivered a spectacular gold medal performance in the men's 50m free pistol event. The 29-year-old Naik Subedar from Bishnah, Jammu & Kashmir, achieved a career-best performance with a total of 569 points.
Singh's consistent shooting across all rounds - scoring 93, 98, 94, 95, 93, and 96 points - ensured he finished comfortably ahead of his competitors. South Korea's Kim Cheongyong and AIN's Anton Aristarkhov both scored 556 points, sharing the silver medal position.
Team Silver Adds to Medal Tally
Ravinder Singh's golden performance was complemented by a team silver medal in the same event. Together with teammates Kamaljeet and Yogesh Kumar, the Indian squad totaled 1646 points, finishing just two points behind South Korea's winning score of 1648 points.
This achievement marks significant progress for Singh, who had won a bronze medal at last year's World Championships in Baku. His upgrade to gold demonstrates the continuous improvement and dedication of Indian shooters on the global stage.
The successful medal haul at the ISSF World Championships reinforces India's position as an emerging powerhouse in international shooting sports and provides excellent momentum for future competitions.
