Day seven of the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026 at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range delivered high drama and historic milestones as Kazakhstan’s Sofiya Shulzhenko produced a stunning world record performance in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) final.
On a day of elite competition, India continued its dominant campaign, adding two more gold medals to its growing tally.
Shulzhenko rewrote the record books with a remarkable score of 358.2 in the 35-shot final, finishing four points clear of India’s Aakriti Dahiya, who secured silver. India’s Anjum Moudgil, a seasoned international medallist, completed the podium with bronze at 340.4. The Kazakh shooter’s performance not only set a new world record but also established new world junior, Asian, and Asian junior records, underlining the magnitude of her achievement.
The qualification round had already hinted at an intense final. Paris Olympian Arina Malinovskaya topped the qualification standings with a score of 588 after completing 20 shots each in kneeling, prone, and standing positions. Anjum Moudgil followed closely with 587, while Shulzhenko also shot 587 to qualify third. Aakriti Dahiya entered the final in sixth place with 583, and Ashi Chouksey secured fourth with 586.
The final began with the Indian shooters in strong form. After the kneeling position, Aakriti led the field, with all three Indians placed prominently. However, Shulzhenko delivered a composed and technically precise performance in the prone stage to climb into second place. The decisive shift came in the standing position, traditionally the most challenging segment. Shulzhenko was the only competitor to score above 50 points in both five-shot standing series, allowing her to build an unassailable lead. As others faltered under pressure, the Kazakh teenager maintained control to seal a commanding victory.
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While Shulzhenko’s gold denied India the top spot in the senior 3P individual event, the hosts struck back emphatically in the junior women’s 3P final. Prachi Gaikwad delivered a composed display to win gold with a score of 353.3. Kazakhstan’s 14-year-old Tomiris Amanova impressed with 351.4 to take silver, while India’s Anushka Thokur claimed bronze with 341.1, exiting after the 34th shot.
India’s dominance extended to the team competition in the junior category. Prachi Gaikwad, Anushka Thokur, and Hazel combined for a total score of 1748 to secure team gold, finishing seven points ahead of Kazakhstan. However, in the senior women’s team event, Kazakhstan edged India by four points to take gold with a combined 1760, showcasing the narrow margins separating the two shooting powerhouses.
The day’s action further reinforced India’s overall supremacy at the championship. With the latest additions, India’s medal tally rose to 39 gold, 15 silver, and 12 bronze medals, placing them comfortably at the top of the standings. The breadth of medals across senior and junior categories reflects the depth of India’s shooting programme and its sustained investment in talent development.
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Attention also turned to the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol competition, where the precision round concluded on Tuesday. India’s Adarsh Singh delivered a strong start, topping the field with 291 out of 300. Anish Bhanwala, considered one of the favourites, remained in contention with 287, while Neeraj Kumar’s 277 means he faces an uphill task in the second rapid-fire round scheduled for Wednesday. The finals will follow the completion of the rapid stage.
With several finals still to come, the championship continues to provide a compelling blend of emerging talent and established stars. The performances in New Delhi underline Asia’s growing strength in global shooting, with record-breaking displays and tightly contested podium battles. All finals of the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026 are being streamed live on the FanCode digital platform, bringing fans closer to the precision and pressure of elite shooting sport.
As the competition enters its final stretch, India’s shooters will look to extend their dominance, while rising stars like Sofiya Shulzhenko have already ensured that the 2026 edition will be remembered for its record-setting brilliance and fiercely competitive spirit.
