In a spectacular display of marksmanship and teamwork, the Indian trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Rhythm Sangwan secured the gold medal in the women’s 25-meter pistol team event at the 2023 Asian Games. The victory was met with jubilation as the Indian contingent continued to shine on the global stage.

The triumphant trio combined their skills to amass a total of 1759 points, claiming the top spot on the podium and adding a fourth gold medal to India’s tally at the Games. This win marked the second gold medal for India in the field of shooting during the event, further solidifying the country’s dominance in the sport.

Manu, who is doing incredibly well, finished first in the qualification round. She scored 98 points in the final rapid-fire series.

The Chinese team won the silver medal with a score of 1756, and the South Korean shooters came in third place with a total score of 1742.

They won the first prize just a few minutes after another group of Indian shooters did well to get a second-place prize in the women’s 50m rifle 3-position event.

Ashi Chouksey, Manini Koushik, and Sift Kaur Samra teamed up and scored a total of 1764 points in the qualification. They finished in second place and won a spot on the podium.

China, which was hosting the event, won the gold medal with a combined score of 1773 points. South Korea secured the bronze medal with a total score of 1756 points.

Samra and Chouksey both made it to the finals. Samra finished second, and Chouksey finished sixth in the qualifications. However, Kaushik didn’t advance to the finals in the individual event because she finished in 18th place.

Sift achieved a total score of 594, and this score helped set a new Asian record for the qualification round, which was tied with someone else.

Although Kaushik didn’t make it to the final, Samra performed well. She scored a perfect 100 in two series, and after the kneeling and prone positions, her total score was 397. Samra and Chouksey did well in all three series, especially in the standing section. Their strong performance allowed them to finish in the top 8 and qualify for the individual final.

After the event, Kaushik said, “I’m glad for my teammates, and it’s great that we won a silver in the team competition. Right now, I’m just thinking about the good things.”

“I have a medal to show, which makes me happy. I’m not returning empty-handed, so that’s a good thing. I’m delighted for my country, my teammates, and all the people who support us,” she said.

When asked if her tears after the competition were happy or sad, she replied, “They were both. I’m happy for my team and my country, but I also recognize I need to improve myself. It’s a mix of emotions, but right now, I’m focusing on the positive aspects.”

In the women’s 25m pistol event, Manu topped the qualification round with a score of 590, while Esha finished fifth with 586 points. Rhythm scored 583 points, securing seventh place. However, because only two shooters per country can enter the final, Rhythm missed the chance to compete further.

Manu did exceptionally well, shooting nine 10s and one nine, which gave her a total score of 99. She continued to perform strongly in the qualification, maintaining her dominance. The Youth Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion began with an impressive score of 99 out of 100 in her first rapid series, showing that she was determined to do well.

-Rahul Gautam