In a display of remarkable nerve and precision, Haryana's Ameerah Arshad emerged victorious in the women's 10m Air Rifle event at the 68th National Shooting Championship (Rifle) on Friday. Her gold medal performance was defined by an incredibly narrow margin, highlighting the intense competition at the national level.
A Razor-Thin Victory for Haryana's Star
Ameerah Arshad delivered a masterclass in composure under pressure during the final. She finished with a score of 251.9 points, edging out her closest rival by the slimmest of differences. Railways' shooter Rajshree Anilkumar Sancheti put up a fierce fight but had to settle for the silver medal with a score of 251.8, falling short by a mere 0.1 point. The bronze medal in this event was claimed by Chhattisgarh's Pranju Shree Somani, who scored 230.5.
Shotgun Success and Junior Triumphs
Over at the shotgun range in New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh's Zuhair Khan had a day to remember. The junior men's trap bronze-medallist stepped up to claim his first senior national title, winning the men's trap gold medal with 43 hits. Uttarakhand's Shapath Bhardwaj secured the silver with 40 hits, while Olympian Kynan Chenai took home the bronze with 33 hits.
In the junior women's 10m air rifle category, Karnataka's Tilottama Sen dominated the field. Carrying her strong qualification form into the final, she claimed the gold with an impressive score of 253.1. Maharashtra's Samiksha Subhash Patil won silver (250.0), and Haryana's Ramita bagged bronze (230.0). Tilottama's success continued as she secured a second gold in the youth women's 10m air rifle final, scoring 251.6. In that event, Ameerah Arshad added a silver (251.4) to her tally, and Maharashtra's Avantika Rajendra Shelke won bronze (229.4).
Team Events Showcase State Dominance
The team events further demonstrated the depth of talent across states. Haryana dominated the women's 10m air rifle team competition, winning gold with an aggregate score of 1892.7. Railways took silver (1886.0), and Madhya Pradesh earned bronze (1884.3). Haryana also topped the junior women's team standings with the same score, followed by Karnataka (1887.1) and Gujarat (1876.9). Karnataka, however, claimed the youth women's team gold with 1887.1, with Haryana (1885.9) and Madhya Pradesh (1881.7) completing the podium.
In the men's trap team event, Uttar Pradesh clinched the gold medal with an aggregate of 345, thanks to the combined efforts of Ahvar Rizvi, Mohd Asad Sultan (118), and Rayyan Rizvi (107). Punjab won the silver medal, and Uttarakhand secured the bronze.
The championship continues to be a vital platform for identifying and nurturing India's next generation of shooting champions, with several young shooters making their mark alongside established stars.
