India’s dominance at the Asian Asian Shooting Championships Rifle/Pistol New Delhi 2026 continued unabated on Thursday as reigning world champion Samrat Rana and World Cup Final winner Suruchi Singh clinched the silver medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, taking the hosts’ gold tally into double digits after just two days of competition.
By the end of day two, India had amassed an imposing haul of 10 gold, five silver and one bronze medal, opening a significant gap over second-placed Uzbekistan, which stood on three gold medals. The hosts’ consistency across senior, junior and youth categories underlined both depth and continuity in India’s pistol programme.
The mixed team final provided one of the day’s most compelling contests. Samrat and Suruchi, who had topped the qualification round with a combined score of 583 from 60 shots, entered the final as favourites. They were joined in the eight-team final by Vietnam, Chinese Taipei and the Uzbek duo of Nigina Saidkulova and Mukhammad Kamalov.
However, it was the Uzbek pair who rose to the occasion under pressure. Saidkulova and Kamalov produced a composed performance in the 48-shot final, finishing with 481.3 to edge past the Indian pair, who closed on 479.6. The difference came down to consistency, with the Uzbeks the only team in the final to average above 10.0 per shot per shooter across their 24-shot contributions. Chinese Taipei claimed the bronze medal after a steady showing.
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Despite settling for silver in the mixed team event, India more than compensated through a series of commanding performances in the junior and youth women’s categories, where the hosts swept the top two positions in both individual finals.
In the 10m air pistol women junior final, Rashmika Sahgal delivered a mature and controlled display to claim gold with a score of 237.9. Close behind her was compatriot Vanshika Chaudhary, who secured silver with 236.7. Indonesia’s Asyifa Rihadatul finished third, taking bronze. The narrow margin between the two Indians reflected the intense internal competition that has become a hallmark of India’s junior pistol ranks.
That pattern repeated itself in the women’s youth final, where Priyanshi Purva and Chahek Kohla produced another one-two finish for the hosts. Priyanshi emerged on top with a score of 234.8, while Chahek followed closely on 233.0. Chinese Taipei’s Liao Ke Rong rounded off the podium with bronze.
India’s strength in depth was further reinforced in the team events. Rashmika, Vanshika and Agam Grewal combined superbly to win the junior women’s air pistol team gold with an aggregate score of 1714, finishing a commanding 43 points ahead of Kazakhstan, who took silver. In the women’s youth team event, Priyanshi, Chahek and Shiksha Saran delivered another emphatic victory, posting a total of 1709 to comfortably outdistance Kazakhstan’s 1627.
Uzbekistan’s only gold medal of the day came through the mixed team event, but the overall narrative remained firmly in India’s favour. Across categories, Indian shooters showed not only technical quality but also the ability to handle high-pressure finals, an encouraging sign with several international qualification events on the horizon.
With two days completed, the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship has already highlighted India’s dominance in air pistol disciplines, particularly among women and younger age groups. The blend of established names and emerging talent has ensured that momentum has been maintained across sessions, keeping the hosts well clear at the top of the medal table.
Competition resumes on Friday with the conclusion of the mixed team pistol events, alongside the introduction of rifle action. Three men’s 10m air rifle finals are scheduled for the second half of the day, offering another opportunity for the hosts to extend their lead and underline their all-round strength at the continental level.
