Manu Bhaker Wins Silver in Women 25m Pistol After Dramatic Shoot-off at Asian Championship

Narrow Miss for Gold in a High-Pressure Final

Olympic double bronze medallist Manu Bhaker delivered a composed performance at the Asian Shooting Championship but finished with silver in the women’s 25m pistol event after a tightly contested shoot-off. She was tied on 35 points with Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Trang at the end of regulation, forcing a sudden-death decider in which the Vietnamese shooter edged ahead to claim gold.

Intense Contest Marked by Fine Margins

The final remained evenly poised through successive series, with both finalists exchanging the lead multiple times. Bhaker maintained consistency under pressure, matching Trang shot for shot to push the match into the shoot-off. The outcome ultimately hinged on marginal differences in accuracy during the decisive rounds, reflecting the elite precision demanded at this level.

Strong Indian Presence in the Final

India fielded multiple contenders in the medal race, with Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan also featuring prominently. Esha began with a flawless opening series and briefly led the standings before a late dip ended her gold challenge. Her earlier consistency ensured a podium finish with bronze , underlining India’s depth in women’s pistol shooting.

Qualification Dominance and Team Success

In the qualification stage, Esha topped the field with 589 , while Bhaker secured second position with 584 , enabling three Indian shooters to progress to the final. India’s collective performance translated into gold in the women’s team event , where the trio combined for a total score of 1,751 , demonstrating sustained excellence across both individual and team formats.

Rising Talent Shines in Junior Category

India’s success extended to the junior division as Naamya Kapoor captured gold in the women’s 25m pistol junior final, also decided via a shoot-off. The result highlights the country’s expanding talent pipeline and continued competitiveness across senior and developmental levels.

Exam-Focused Points

• The Asian Shooting Championship is conducted under the Asian Shooting Confederation.

• The 25m pistol discipline involves precision and rapid-fire stages in qualification.

• Shoot-offs determine medal positions when finalists are tied after regulation scoring.

• India secured gold in the women’s team event with a combined score of 1,751 .

• Consistent multi-finalist representation reflects India’s strength in women’s pistol shooting.