Esha Singh Secures Historic Gold for India at Asian Shooting Championship
In a display of remarkable resilience and focus, Esha Singh captured India's inaugural gold medal at the Asian rifle and pistol championship by triumphing in the women's 10m air pistol final on Wednesday in New Delhi. The 21-year-old shooter demonstrated extraordinary composure under intense pressure, navigating a difficult start to ultimately claim the top spot on the podium.
Overcoming Early Challenges to Claim Victory
Esha Singh faced significant obstacles early in the competition, finding herself in seventh position after the initial five shots. She had qualified for the final behind compatriots Manu Bhaker and Suruchi Phogat, both of whom began with stronger performances. Suruchi Phogat maintained second place initially, while Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist, struggled to find her rhythm and was eliminated after just 14 shots, finishing seventh in the eight-shooter final. Suruchi eventually placed fourth.
Reflecting on her performance, Esha stated, "Unfortunately I had a rough start. But I did not let it affect me. I stuck to my process because I feel that even though your start is bad, it's not over till the last shot."
Technical Adjustments and Mental Fortitude
The young shooter encountered additional challenges with the lighting conditions at the range, which initially made it difficult to see both the sight and target clearly. "It was hard to see the sight and the target together. I was asking Manu if it was just me who faced the problem," Esha revealed. "I wouldn't say it's bad lighting. It's just a challenge. Every range is different. That's where I feel experience counts."
When questioned about competing alongside established stars like Manu Bhaker, Esha emphasized her internal focus: "For me the competition is with myself and not anyone else. Shooting is a very simple game. You master the game by repeating your process over and over again."
Team Success and Additional Medal Haul
India's success extended beyond Esha's individual achievement. The women's air pistol team secured gold in the team event, while the men's air pistol team captured silver. World champion Samrat Rana earned individual bronze in the men's competition despite a challenging start, expressing satisfaction with his performance in his first senior-level event in India.
Rana commented, "Honestly I am happy with the bronze. It's my first event in India at the senior level. So it's satisfying to finish with a medal." The 21-year-old shooter, who admires swimming legend Michael Phelps, improved his performance toward the end but couldn't advance beyond third place.
International Competition Results
In the men's individual event, Vladimir Svechnikov of Uzbekistan claimed gold with Valeriy Rakimzhan taking silver. Uzbekistan also secured the men's team gold, while the Indian trio of Samrat Rana, Sharvan Kumar, and Varun Tomar earned team silver. Kazakhstan captured the bronze in the men's team competition.
For the women's team event, Vietnam secured silver while Chinese Taipei claimed bronze, completing the podium placements across multiple categories at this prestigious Asian shooting championship.
