India’s shooting ace Sift Kaur Samra continued her fine run of form, clinching a bronze medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich.
This is her second individual World Cup medal of the season, reaffirming her status as one of India’s brightest shooting prospects heading into the critical phase of the Olympic cycle.
The 22-year-old from Punjab delivered a composed and high-quality performance in a fiercely competitive final. After finishing the qualification round with a superb score of 592, Sift entered the final in a strong position. Though she was placed fourth after 30 shots, trailing the top three by 2.6 points, she produced an excellent standing series in the final elimination stage to claw her way onto the podium.
Sift eventually secured the bronze medal with a total score of 453.1, pushing past American Olympic silver medallist Sagen Maddalena, who ended up fourth. Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad, the reigning world champion, took gold with a commanding score of 466.9, while 16-year-old Emely Jaeggi of Switzerland impressed everyone with her composure and consistency to win the silver medal at 464.8.
A Rising Star Continues to Shine
This marks Sift’s second consecutive podium finish in Munich, having also won a bronze in the same event at the 2024 edition. Over the past year, she has emerged as a consistent performer on the international circuit. Her qualification score of 592 underlined her technical prowess and consistency across all three positions — kneeling, prone, and standing.
Notably, Sift’s medal at Munich follows her earlier podium this season, further cementing her place as a key member of India’s rifle shooting squad. With the Paris 2024 Olympics now behind and focus slowly shifting to the next Olympic cycle, her consistency at the global level adds valuable depth to India’s shooting contingent.
Jaeggi Shines, Duestad Dominates
While Sift’s bronze was a moment of pride for Indian fans, the day also saw the emergence of a future superstar. Switzerland’s Emely Jaeggi, just 16 years old, stunned the field with her mature and poised performance. Already a silver medallist at the 2025 ISSF Junior World Cup, Jaeggi made her senior-level World Cup final debut count with a spectacular silver medal finish.
Jaeggi was aggressive yet calm under pressure, outscoring much more experienced shooters, including Maddalena and Chouksey. Her silver today underlines her potential to become a consistent podium contender on the world stage.
At the top of the leaderboard stood Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who was in a league of her own. With a final score of 466.9, she dominated the contest from the midway stage and never looked in trouble. Duestad, who has multiple World Championship and European Championship titles to her name, reaffirmed her status as the woman to beat in 50m Rifle 3P.
Missed Opportunity for Ashi Chouksey
While Sift grabbed the spotlight with her bronze, it was another case of “so close, yet so far” for Ashi Chouksey, who narrowly missed qualification to the final. She had faced a similar fate at the World Cup in Lima earlier this season, just missing out on a top-8 finish.
Ashi’s performance in the qualification round was solid, but with the competition margins razor-thin at the World Cup level, every single shot mattered. With consistent top-15 finishes this season, however, she remains one of India’s core rifle shooters heading into the next stretch of elite tournaments.
Indian Women’s Rifle Contingent Looks Strong
Sift’s medal adds to what’s been an encouraging World Cup so far for the Indian women’s rifle team. With multiple shooters consistently making it deep into qualification rounds and finals, the bench strength appears robust. Alongside Sift and Ashi, shooters like Anjum Moudgil (shooting as RPO here) and Shriyanka Sadangi have also been in good form recently, setting up a healthy competition for national team spots.
This depth bodes well for India as the focus shifts to the next slate of international events, including the Asian Championships, World Championships, and ISSF Finals, all crucial in the qualification and preparation pathway leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Final Standings – Women’s 50m Rifle 3P
🥇 Jeanette Hegg Duestad (NOR) – 466.9
🥈 Emely Jaeggi (SUI) – 464.8
🥉 Sift Kaur Samra (IND) – 453.1
4️⃣ Sagen Maddalena (USA) – 441.3
Sift Kaur Samra’s bronze at the Munich World Cup is not just another medal for the tally — it’s a signal of her growing stature in the global rifle shooting arena. With each passing event, she’s building momentum and confidence, showing the composure needed to thrive in elite company.
Her performances, alongside the emergence of new talents like Emely Jaeggi and the dominance of veterans like Duestad, make the women’s 50m Rifle 3P event one of the most thrilling to watch on the world stage.
For Indian fans, this is another proud moment — and a reminder that Sift is only just getting started.