India’s national champion Tilottama Sen continued her impressive run in domestic shooting by clinching her third consecutive title in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the National Selection Trials (Group A) held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on Monday.
The in-form shooter produced another composed performance to top the final of Trial 3 (T3), extending the dominance she had earlier displayed by winning the finals of Trials 1 and 2 in January.
The day also witnessed strong performances in other events, with Kiran Ankush Jadhav claiming the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions title and Udhayveer Sidhu emerging victorious in the 10m Air Pistol men’s event.
Tilottama Continues Golden Run
Tilottama Sen once again showcased her ability to handle pressure and deliver in crucial moments. Although she did not begin the final strongly, the young shooter staged a remarkable comeback during the latter stages of the competition. At the end of the prone series, Tilottama was placed fourth, trailing the leaders in what was shaping up to be a tightly contested final. However, she regained control during the standing series traditionally considered the most challenging stage in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event.
Displaying remarkable composure, Tilottama steadily climbed the leaderboard and ultimately finished with a winning score of 357.0, narrowly edging out Nischal Singh, who secured the silver medal with 356.6.
Olympian Anjum Moudgil, one of India’s most experienced rifle shooters, completed the podium in third place with 345.8.
The rest of the finalists included Sakshi Sunil Padekar, Mehuli Ghosh, Shriyanka Sadangi, Lajjakumari Gauswami, and Nupur Kumrawat, all of whom battled through a competitive qualification round to reach the final stage.
Tilottama’s victory not only reinforced her dominance in the ongoing selection trials but also strengthened her credentials as one of the country’s rising rifle shooting talents.
Earlier in the qualification round of the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, Anjum Moudgil topped the field with an impressive score of 588. She was followed closely by Nischal Singh and Mehuli Ghosh, who both shot 587 to secure their places in the finals.
Lajjakumari Gauswami qualified with 586, while Tilottama entered the final after scoring 585 in qualification. Nupur Kumrawat, Shriyanka Sadangi, and Sakshi Padekar, each with scores of 584, completed the top eight shooters who progressed to the final round.
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Despite entering the final in fifth place, Tilottama demonstrated once again why finals are often a completely different contest in shooting, producing a clutch performance when it mattered most.
In the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions final, national champion Kiran Ankush Jadhav emerged victorious after an intense battle with Niraj Kumar. Representing the Indian Navy, Jadhav finished with a score of 353.6, narrowly defeating Niraj Kumar, who ended with 353.3, just 0.3 points behind.
The final remained closely contested throughout, with the lead shifting between several shooters before Jadhav ultimately sealed the victory with steady shooting in the closing series. Goldi Gurjar secured the bronze medal with a score of 342.4.
The remaining finalists included Nishan Budha (329.6), Akhil Sheoran (321.7), Sidharth Gaur (311.0), Arjun Babuta (297.5), and Surya Pratap Singh (296.4). In the qualification stage earlier in the day, Akhil Sheoran had topped the leaderboard with 589, followed by Niraj Kumar and Kiran Jadhav, both shooting 588.
The qualification round also saw strong performances from Sidharth Gaur (587), Goldi Gurjar (586), Arjun Babuta (585), Nishan Budha (584), and Surya Pratap Singh Banshtu (584).
Udhayveer Sidhu Tops 10m Air Pistol
The 10m Air Pistol men’s event also produced an exciting contest, with Udhayveer Sidhu emerging as the winner after maintaining consistent scores throughout the final. Sidhu finished with a winning score of 243.2, holding off Kedarling Uchaganve, who secured the silver medal with 242.6.
Former 50m Pistol World Champion Ravinder Singh claimed the bronze medal with a score of 221.9. Kedarling had earlier topped the qualification round with an impressive 587, followed by Aakash Bharadwaj, who shot 583. Mukesh Nellavalli finished third in qualification with 581, while Sidhu, Jonathan Gavin Antony, Anmol Jain, Jaypal Malviya, and Ravinder Singh also advanced to the final after shooting 581 each.
Sidhu’s consistency in the final ultimately proved decisive as he maintained his lead through the elimination stages.
Trials Near Conclusion
The National Selection Trials (T3) are a crucial part of India’s shooting calendar, serving as an important platform for identifying shooters who could represent the country in upcoming international competitions. The trials will conclude on Tuesday with the qualification and finals of the women’s 10m Air Pistol event, which is expected to feature several of the country’s leading pistol shooters.
With athletes competing for national team selection and international opportunities, the ongoing trials have once again highlighted the depth and competitiveness of Indian shooting a sport that continues to produce world-class talent.
