Indian shooting continued its strong presence on the global stage as Samrat Rana secured the bronze medal in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol at the ISSF World Cup Final 2025 in Doha, Qatar.
In a competition that brought together the season’s best performers, the reigning world champion once again demonstrated his ability to deliver under pressure, finishing on the podium after a tense and dramatic final. Rana scored 221.5 points in the final to clinch third place, navigating a brutally competitive field that featured Olympic and world medallists. The gold medal was won by Hu Kai of China with an outstanding 243.0, while Germany’s Christian Reitz followed closely behind to take silver with 242.0. The narrow margins at the top underlined the quality of the contest, where a single low shot could and did alter medal positions.
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For Samrat Rana, the bronze medal was the product of composure, resilience, and experience. The final was particularly unforgiving, with several shooters locked in a relegation battle through the middle stages. Rana survived this phase calmly, eliminating rivals shot by shot before eventually sealing a podium finish.
One moment proved especially decisive. A relatively low 8.4 shot in the latter part of the final ended Rana’s realistic challenge for the silver medal. Until that point, he had stayed in close touch with Reitz, but at this level, even a single shot outside the nine-ring can prove costly. Despite that slip, Rana regrouped strongly to ensure bronze was safely secured.
While the scoreline shows a visible gap between silver and bronze, it does not fully reflect how competitive Rana was across most of the final. His ability to absorb pressure after the setback and still finish on the podium speaks volumes about his mental strength.
Indian Presence in the Final
India had two shooters in the final of the Men’s 10m Air Pistol, reaffirming the country’s growing depth in the discipline. Varun Tomar, a world championship bronze medallist, also put in a solid performance, eventually finishing fourth with 201.2 points. Tomar was in medal contention for a significant part of the final before being edged out in the later elimination stages.
The presence of both Rana and Tomar among the final four was a positive takeaway for Indian shooting, especially in a field featuring heavyweights like Hu Kai and Christian Reitz. It highlighted India’s consistency across qualification and finals, rather than reliance on a single standout performance.
The qualification round further underlined Rana’s quality. He finished second in qualification with a score of 584 (23x), tied on points with China’s Hu Kai, who topped the qualification ranking with the same score but more inner tens. Rana’s series 98, 96, 99, 98, 96, 97 showcased remarkable consistency across six strings.
Varun Tomar also qualified strongly, posting 578 (25x) to progress comfortably into the final. The high x-count reflected excellent shot execution, even if the total score placed him slightly behind the top contenders. That both Indian shooters advanced through qualification in such a demanding field reinforced the technical soundness of their preparation and match approach.
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The final podium reflected the global strength of men’s air pistol shooting. Hu Kai, one of China’s most reliable pistol shooters, produced a near-flawless final to take gold. Christian Reitz, an Olympic champion and one of the sport’s all-time greats, once again proved his longevity with a silver medal performance built on experience and precision.
For Samrat Rana, standing alongside such elite names was another validation of his place among the world’s best. Already a world champion, Rana’s bronze at the World Cup Final adds another major result to his resume and reinforces his consistency across multiple top-tier events.
The ISSF World Cup Final is not just another medal event; it serves as a benchmark of form against the very best of the season. Rana’s bronze in Doha will be seen as an important confidence booster as India continues to build towards future global championships and Olympic cycles. For Indian shooting, the result was encouraging a podium finish, two finalists, and competitive scores against the strongest international field.
For Samrat Rana, it was another reminder that even on days when every shot does not go perfectly, his ability to stay composed and fight through pressure keeps him firmly among the sport’s elite.
