India’s top shooters continued to deliver strong performances at the National Selection Trials 3 (Group A) as Divyansh Singh Panwar, Khyati Chaudhary, and Anish Bhanwala emerged as the standout performers in their respective events at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi.
Divyansh secured the top spot in the 10m Air Rifle men’s event, Khyati claimed a dramatic victory in the women’s 10m Air Rifle, while Olympic shooter Anish Bhanwala continued his strong form by winning the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol finals. The trials serve as an important platform for Indian shooters to secure places in the national squad for upcoming international competitions as the new Olympic cycle towards Los Angeles 2028 Olympics begins to gather momentum.
Divyansh Panwar Clinches Men’s 10m Air Rifle Title
Tokyo Olympian Divyansh Singh Panwar delivered a composed performance in the men’s 10m Air Rifle final to finish on top with a score of 252.5. The competition remained intense throughout the final as Parth Rakesh Mane pushed Divyansh closely before eventually settling for second place with 251.5 points. The narrow margin highlighted the high level of competition among India’s emerging rifle shooters.
Shahu Tushar Mane finished third with 230.9, rounding off the podium after a solid performance in the elimination stages of the final. Divyansh’s victory reaffirmed his reputation as one of India’s most consistent rifle shooters. Since his breakthrough at the junior level and subsequent Olympic appearance, he has continued to remain a key contender in domestic trials and international competitions.
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The men’s qualification round also produced impressive scores from several shooters. Dhanush Srikanth topped the qualification standings with an excellent score of 633.2, narrowly ahead of Mahesh Babu Bathula, who shot 632.6.
National record holder Himanshu Dhillon and Niraj Kumar both scored 632.1, finishing third and fourth respectively. Parth Mane, Divyansh Panwar and Shahu Mane secured the next qualification spots with scores of 631.8, 630.6, and 630.4. National champion Kiran Ankush Jadhav completed the top eight with 630.3, ensuring a strong field for the final.
Khyati Chaudhary Wins Dramatic Women’s Final
The women’s 10m Air Rifle final produced one of the most dramatic moments of the day as Khyati Chaudhary and Mahit Sandhu finished tied at 251.4 after 24 shots. With the competition deadlocked, the title had to be decided in a shoot-off.
Under immense pressure, Khyati delivered a remarkable shot of 10.9, while Mahit registered 10.2, handing Khyati the victory in thrilling fashion. The result highlighted Khyati’s composure in crucial moments, a quality that could prove vital as she aims to establish herself among India’s top rifle shooters.
Experienced shooter Mehuli Ghosh finished third in the final with 230.1, adding another podium finish to her domestic record.
The women’s qualification round saw Mehuli Ghosh finish on top with a score of 633.4, closely followed by Sonam Uttam Maskar, who shot 633.2. Tilottama Sen secured third place in qualification with 632.0, while Khyati Chaudhary and Mahit Sandhu posted scores of 630.7 and 629.7 respectively.
The remaining finalists included Vidarsa K Vinod, Sakshi Sunil Padekar, and Isha Anil Taksale, who completed the top eight with closely contested scores. The tight qualification results reflected the depth of talent currently present in India’s women’s rifle shooting circuit.
Anish Bhanwala Dominates Rapid Fire Pistol Final
In the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event, Olympian Anish Bhanwala showcased his experience and precision to secure the T3 finals title with 33 hits. Bhanwala’s performance highlighted his continued dominance in the rapid fire discipline, an event where he has been one of India’s leading shooters for several years.
Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu finished second with 31 hits, while Bhavesh Shekhawat claimed third place with 29 hits after winning a shoot-off against Vijayveer Sidhu, who finished fourth with 23 hits. The event once again underlined the depth in India’s rapid fire pistol discipline, with several shooters pushing each other closely in both qualification and final stages.
Bhavesh Tops Qualification in Rapid Fire
Earlier in qualification, Bhavesh Shekhawat had led the field with a combined score of 583-17x across both stages. Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu followed closely with 581-20x, while Adarsh Singh secured third place with 580-15x.
Anish Bhanwala qualified fourth with 578-15x, setting up a competitive final that eventually saw him rise to the top. The remaining finalists included Neeraj Kumar, Vijayveer Sidhu, Omkar Singh, and Pradeep Singh Shekhawat, all of whom produced strong performances during the qualification stages.
The National Selection Trials play a crucial role in determining India’s shooting squads for upcoming international events, including ISSF World Cups and major continental championships. With the next Olympic cycle already underway, performances in these trials will influence team selections and training opportunities at national camps.
The strong results from Divyansh Panwar, Khyati Chaudhary and Anish Bhanwala underline the depth and competitiveness within India’s shooting programme. As the trials continue in New Delhi, the competition among the country’s elite shooters is expected to intensify further, with athletes aiming to secure their spots in the national squad and build momentum for the international season ahead.
