Indian Shooters' Heartbreak at World Championships
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and Asian Games multi-medallist Esha Singh experienced disappointing finishes in the women's 10m air pistol final at the ongoing ISSF World Championships. Both Indian shooters, who had shown tremendous promise throughout the competition, saw their medal hopes dashed during the crucial final stages of the event.
Dramatic Final Round Collapses
Manu Bhaker, who had previously won bronze medals in both individual and mixed team events at the Paris Olympics, was actually leading the final at one point. The turning point came on her 14th shot when she scored a disappointing 8.8, causing her to drop to seventh place with a total of 139.5 points. Just before this fateful shot, she had taken the lead with an impressive 10.7 on her 13th shot.
Esha Singh, fresh from her World Cup gold medal performance in Ningbo, China, faced similar misfortune. The 20-year-old shooter also struggled in the final round, particularly on her 14th shot where she scored 8.4 immediately after posting an excellent 10.7. This inconsistency led to her finishing sixth among the eight competitors in the final.
Chinese Dominance and Indian Team Success
The podium was dominated by Chinese shooters, with 20-year-old Yao Qianxun claiming gold with a score of 243.0. Hong Kong-China's Ho Ching Shing secured the silver medal with 241.2 points, while another Chinese shooter, Wei Qian, took bronze with 221.4 points.
Despite the individual disappointments, the Indian team found success in the team event, earning a silver medal. The trio of Esha Singh (583), Manu Bhaker (580), and world No.1 Suruchi Inder Singh (577) combined for a total of 1740 points to secure second place.
Strong Qualification Rounds
Both Indian shooters had demonstrated exceptional skill during the qualification rounds. Esha Singh, who became India's youngest national champion in air pistol at age 13, qualified fourth with 583 points, including a perfect 100 in the third series. Manu Bhaker qualified sixth with 580 points, showing the form that had made her a double Olympic medallist.
Suruchi Inder Singh, the 19-year-old world No.1 shooter, scored 577 points in qualification but placed 14th among 99 shooters, despite her four World Cup gold medals this year.
In the current medals table, India holds fifth position with one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, while China leads with six gold, three silver, and two bronze medals.
