India’s campaign at the ISSF World Cup Munich 2025 began on a mixed note on Day 1, with Elavenil Valarivan producing the highlight performance by clinching a bronze medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event.
Meanwhile, Varun Tomar made it to the Men’s 10m Air Pistol Final but couldn’t sustain his form, finishing 8th after an early struggle.
Elavenil Valarivan’s Brilliance in 10m Air Rifle
The standout moment of the day came from Elavenil Valarivan, who not only qualified for the final with a new National Record of 635.9 but also held her nerve in a star-studded final to win India’s first medal of the event—a bronze.
Elavenil shot a consistent final, climbing to the lead at multiple stages—posting 127.2 after 12 shots and then moving ahead after hitting 10.6 and 10.8 in back-to-back attempts. By the 20th shot, she led the field with a score of 210.8. However, a crucial 9.8 on her 21st shot saw her drop to third place. Despite the heartbreak, the effort was commendable considering the level of competition, which featured Olympic and World Champions like Ban Hyojin and Han Jiayu. The gold eventually went to Wang Zifei, who secured her third consecutive World Cup title.
Strong Qualification, Disappointing Final for Varun Tomar
Varun Tomar delivered a strong performance in the qualification round of the Men’s 10m Air Pistol, scoring 585-25x to finish second and earn a spot in the final. His form in the relay had been solid with series of 99, 96, 97, 98, and 98. His early momentum placed him well above fellow Indians Sarabjot and Nishant Rawat, the latter narrowly missing out despite a competitive 582-18x.
In the final, however, Varun never found his rhythm. His first five shots fetched just 47.8, placing him last. While he showed minor improvement in the second series to move up to sixth, inconsistency plagued his efforts. He was eliminated after 16 shots with a total of 160.3, finishing 8th.
Mixed Results in Women’s 25m Pistol Precision
In the Women’s 25m Pistol Precision stage, Esha Singh emerged as the best-placed Indian, scoring 294-12x for a provisional 4th place. Divya TS (RPO) followed with 291-7x for 11th. Manu Bhaker shot 290-9x to be placed 15th provisionally, while Simranpreet Kaur Brar scored 288-11x to occupy 24th. Rahi Sarnobat, meanwhile, struggled and ended the day at 47th with 285-9x.
Men’s 50m Rifle 3P: Chain Singh Impresses Early
In the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions, Chain Singh had a solid outing in the first elimination relay, scoring 591-33x to place 4th. Akhil Sheoran, shooting under RPO, was not far behind with 588-37x for 12th place. In the second elimination, Niraj Kumar (RPO) shot 588-33x to finish 15th. However, Olympic medallist Swapnil Kusale struggled and could only manage 585-32x, placing 23rd, while Kiran Jadhav ended with 580-22x for 35th.
In Summary: Bright Start with Room to Improve
While Elavenil’s bronze and Varun’s qualification to the final were the high points of the day, several Indian shooters found themselves narrowly missing the cut or falling short of expectations. The likes of Nishant Rawat in pistol and Swapnil Kusale in rifle had tough days, while others like Chain Singh and Esha Singh provided reasons for optimism going forward.
As the competition progresses, India will look to convert promising starts into podium finishes, with more finals scheduled in the days ahead. Day 1 ends with one medal, one national record, and plenty of promise for what lies ahead in Munich.
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