The fourth and final ISSF World Cup Ningbo Rifle/Pistol of the year got underway at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center in China on Tuesday, but India’s challenge began on a subdued note.
Both mixed rifle and pistol teams fell short of the medal rounds, ending the day without a podium finish. While the pistol pairs finished just outside the top 10, the rifle combinations endured an even tougher outing, finishing mid-field and lower down the order. The Ningbo stage, the last major ISSF competition before the year-end continental events, has drawn the strongest line-ups of the season, with Paris Olympic medallists and reigning world champions among the entries.
Against this backdrop, the Indians were left with lessons to take forward rather than results to celebrate on day one. In the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, India fielded two pairs, but neither could break into the top eight that advance to the medal matches. The first pair of Surbhi Rao (284) and Amit Sharma (290) combined for 574-20x, which placed them 11th. Just behind them, Olympian Rhythm Sangwan (289) and Nishant Rawat (282) shot 571-15x, ending in 13th place.
The qualifying cut proved especially demanding, with several pairs crossing the 580 mark. Ultimately, it was the Chinese pair of Qianxun Yao and Kai Hu who set the benchmark and carried their form into the final. The final itself was one-sided, with Yao and Hu storming to a 17-5 win over Czechia’s Veronika Schejbalova and Jindrich Dubovy. For the Chinese duo, it was a continuation of a remarkable run: back-to-back World Cup golds following their triumph in Munich, to go with silvers from Buenos Aires and Lima earlier this year.
The bronze went to Hungary’s Veronika Major and Akos Karoly Nagy, who prevailed 17-13 against the Neutral Athletes’ pairing of Iana Enina and Anton Aristarkhov.
Rifle Mixed Teams Struggle
The 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team qualification produced more disappointment for India. The first pair of Ramita Jindal (312.9) and Umamahesh Maddineni (315.7) combined for 628.6, finishing 14th. The second pair of Meghana M. Sajjanar (312.8) and Divyansh Singh Panwar (309.3) could not find their rhythm, ending with 622.1 and a distant 34th place. In sharp contrast, China’s Xinlu Peng and Lihao Sheng lit up the qualification round by breaking the world record with a staggering 636.9.
They carried that form into the final but faltered at the last hurdle, losing 9-15 to Norway’s pair of Jeanette Hegg Duestad and Jon-Hermann Hegg. The Norwegians, who have been one of the most consistent mixed rifle teams over the past two seasons, added Ningbo gold to their Lima title and Munich bronze. Italy’s Carlotta Salafia and Danilo Dennis Sollazzo completed the podium by claiming bronze.
India will now look to regroup as focus shifts to individual events on Day 2, beginning with the Men’s 10m Air Pistol. Amit Sharma, Nishant Rawat, and Samrat Rana will be in action against a stacked field of 65 shooters. The draw includes China’s Kai Hu, the undisputed World No.1 and winner of the last three World Cup golds, who has dominated the discipline throughout 2025. Also in contention is Neutral Athlete Anton Aristarkhov, World No.5, and Jason Solari of Switzerland (World No.6), who secured silver and bronze, respectively, at the Buenos Aires World Cup.
Brazil’s Felipe Almeida Wu, currently ranked World No.8 and silver medallist in Lima, is another formidable name. Adding to the depth are Italy’s Federico Nilo Maldini (Paris Olympic silver) and Paolo Monna (Paris Olympic bronze), alongside Hungary’s Akos Karoly Nagy. Qualification begins at 7:15 AM IST, with the final scheduled for 10 AM IST. For India, this event presents the first realistic chance to open its medal account in Ningbo.
Women’s 25m Pistol: Precision Stage Awaits
Day 2 will also feature the start of the Women’s 25m Pistol competition, with the Precision Stage scheduled for the morning. Olympian Rahi Sarnobat, Abhidnya Ashok Patil, and Divya T.S. will represent India in what is expected to be another highly competitive field. The entry list features Paris Olympic gold medallist Yang Jiin of Korea, who is also World No.5, alongside Olympic silver medallist Camille Jedrzejewski of France and bronze medallist Veronika Major of Hungary.
Other top names include Korea’s Yejin Oh (World No.2), reigning Olympic champion in 10m Air Pistol, China’s Qianxun Yao (World No.3), and Iran’s Haniyeh Rostamiyan (World No.8). Qualification begins at 7 AM IST, with the Rapid-Fire stage and finals scheduled for the following day.
India’s shooters may have started the Ningbo World Cup on the back foot, but the competition is only just beginning. With the individual rifle and pistol events offering multiple opportunities in the coming days, the focus will be on turning promise into podiums. The presence of Olympic medallists, world champions, and rising stars ensures that every event will test the Indians to their limits. For the team, consistency and composure will be key as they aim to end the World Cup season on a high.
All finals of the ISSF World Cup Ningbo are being streamed live on the ISSF YouTube channel, giving fans across the world front-row access to the season’s concluding battles.
