India delivered a commanding performance in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026, with Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar edging out teammate Niraj Kumar in a dramatic finish to secure gold and complete a podium sweep at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on Thursday.
In a final that went down to the very last shot, Aishwary demonstrated composure under extreme pressure, firing a decisive 10.7 to overturn a narrow deficit and clinch the title. Niraj, competing in his first individual international final, had entered the 35th and concluding shot with a slender 0.2-point advantage. Shooting first, Niraj delivered a solid 10.3, setting Aishwary a clear target he needed at least a 10.6 to claim gold.
The World Championship silver medallist rose to the occasion. With the title on the line, Aishwary produced a near-perfect 10.7, sealing victory with a final aggregate of 362.0. Niraj finished just behind on 361.8, earning silver and marking a breakthrough moment in his international career. Akhil Sheoran completed the Indian clean sweep, securing bronze with a score of 343.5.
Earlier in qualification, Niraj had topped the field with an impressive 593-34x, underlining his consistency across the kneeling, prone and standing positions. Aishwary followed with 588-40x, while Akhil posted 588-32x to ensure three Indians progressed strongly into the final.
Although 10m Air Rifle gold medallist Rudrankksh Patil shot 591-33x the second-highest score of the qualification round — he was competing only for ranking points and was therefore ineligible for the medal round. Nikhil Tanwar, also shooting for ranking points, registered 587-29x.
India’s dominance extended beyond the individual podium. The trio of Aishwary, Niraj and Akhil combined to secure the team gold medal in the event, finishing ahead of Japan and Kazakhstan, who took silver and bronze respectively. The result further consolidated India’s position at the top of the championship medal standings.
Adriyan Karmakar Adds Second Junior Gold
The day also saw another standout performance in the junior men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions final, where Adriyan Karmakar clinched his second gold medal of the championship. The young Indian shooter delivered a commanding display, finishing with a score of 353.2 — 4.7 points clear of Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Kim, who took silver.
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Adriyan’s control in the final was evident. Although he briefly trailed after the opening kneeling series, he took the lead from the sixth shot onward and steadily extended his advantage. Once in front, he maintained a clear buffer through the prone and standing phases, never allowing his rivals to close the gap. His technical stability and shot discipline ensured a comfortable finish.
Manvendra Singh Shekhawat added to India’s tally with a bronze medal, concluding the final with a score of 338.6. Hemant Burman, the third Indian in the junior final, finished fifth after being eliminated in a shoot-off, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
With both senior and junior categories yielding strong results, the day reinforced India’s depth in the rifle discipline, particularly in the demanding 3 Positions event, which tests balance, endurance and mental resilience across 35 shots in the final phase.
The championship, which has seen India consistently among the medals, will conclude tomorrow with the women’s 50m Rifle Prone and the men’s 25m Centre Fire Pistol events set to decide the final honours. All finals are being streamed live on the FanCode OTT platform.
As the competition approaches its close, performances like Aishwary’s clutch 10.7 under pressure and Adriyan’s commanding junior display underline India’s growing consistency at the continental level combining experience, emerging talent and composure when it matters most.
