In a stunning display of marksmanship, Guru Nanak Dev University's shooting sensation Ashi Chouksey secured her fourth consecutive gold medal at the Khelo India University Games 2025, overcoming her teammate and Olympian Sift Kaur Samra in a thrilling final at the Jagatpura Shooting Range in Jaipur on Sunday.
Dominant Performance in 50m Rifle Final
The 23-year-old Asian Games medallist demonstrated exceptional skill throughout the women's 50m rifle 3-position final, maintaining her lead from start to finish. Chouksey clinched the gold medal with an impressive final score of 462.3 points, defeating Samra by 2.7 points in what turned out to be a closely contested battle between the two accomplished shooters.
Despite entering the final four shots with a comfortable four-point advantage, Chouksey faced some pressure after registering two shots below 10. However, this minor setback didn't significantly impact her chances of securing the top podium position.
Chouksey's Winning Mindset
Speaking after her remarkable victory, Chouksey revealed her focused approach during the competition. "I was not focussing on the scores at all. I had won the gold medal in KIUG for the last three years and I was determined to not lose out on the gold this time. So, I was only focused on my shooting, and it was only in the final few shots that I paid attention to the score," the champion shooter explained.
Her victory adds another significant achievement to her already impressive career, having previously medaled at the 2022 Asian Games.
KLEF University's Mukesh Nelavalli Shines in Men's Event
In the men's 10m air pistol event, KLEF University's Mukesh Nelavalli delivered an outstanding performance to claim the gold medal with a final score of 243.3 points. What made his victory particularly notable was his triumph over Paris Olympics bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh, who had to settle for bronze with 220.8 points.
The silver medal in this event went to Aditya Malra of Panjab University, who scored 240.2 points in the final.
Cycling Events Produce Dramatic Moments
The cycling competitions witnessed inspiring performances, particularly from Savitribai Phule Pune University's Siddhi Shirke. Despite competing with a fractured right wrist, Shirke managed to secure the gold medal in the women's point race.
"Last month while training for a road race, my coach and I were hit by a bike due to which I had bruises on my body, and I also fractured my wrist. The plaster came off last week and though the pain is still there, and the mobility isn't that good, I am happy that I could manage to win the gold medal today," said Shirke, who was making her debut at the Khelo India University Games.
Pune University's Mangesh Takmoge added to the institution's gold medal tally by winning the men's Keirin competition, helping the university move up to sixth position in the overall standings with a total of six gold medals.
Team Success for Guru Nanak Dev University
Guru Nanak Dev University enjoyed a successful day beyond Chouksey's individual achievement. The university also secured the 10m air pistol team gold medal, while cyclist Niya Sebastian triumphed in the women's Keirin race. These victories contributed significantly to the university's impressive tally of 30 gold medals at the games.
The fifth edition of the Khelo India University Games has brought together a massive contingent of 4448 athletes from 222 universities, competing across 23 medal disciplines. The event is being hosted across seven cities in Rajasthan under the guidance of the Sports Authority of India in collaboration with the Rajasthan State Sports Council, with Poornima University serving as the host institution.
