Indian shooting sensation Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar secured a brilliant silver medal at the prestigious ISSF World Cup Final for rifle, pistol, and shotgun in Doha on Sunday. The talented marksman from Madhya Pradesh finished a mere 0.9 points behind Czech Republic's Jiri Privratsky in a nail-biting final of the men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event.
A Thrilling Finale at Lusail Shooting Complex
The high-stakes competition unfolded at the Lusail Shooting Complex, where Tomar's podium finish marked a significant personal milestone. This silver medal completed his collection of medals across all major world and continental championships. The event showcased a new ISSF final format consisting of 40 shots, with Privratsky taking gold with a score of 414.2. Olympic champion Liu Yukun of China settled for the bronze medal.
Tomar's journey to the final was equally strong. In the qualification round, he posted an excellent score of 595 to secure second place. The top spot in qualification was taken by China's Tian Jiaming, who set a new world record with a staggering 598. The elite list of eight finalists also featured Norway's Jon-Hermann Hegg, Hungary's Istvan Peni, and three other Chinese shooters.
Tomar's Gritty Comeback in the Final
The final was a test of nerve and consistency. Tomar began in fourth position after the initial kneeling series, scoring 102.8 points. However, he found his superb form in the prone position, delivering series scores of 52.9 and 52.0 to climb into second place. At this stage, Privratsky held a lead of 3.3 points, with Liu Yukun close behind.
As the match progressed to the challenging standing series, Tomar mounted a fierce comeback. He steadily reduced the deficit to 1.5 points midway and then to just 0.5 points after the 31st shot. Following the elimination of Peni and Tian, Tomar even seized the lead briefly after the 33rd shot. The Czech shooter, however, responded with two high 10s late in the round to retake a slender advantage.
With only two shots remaining, the gap was a minuscule 0.3 points. Tomar shot a 10.1 followed by a 10.6, but Privratsky's precision of 10.3 and 10.7 ultimately secured him the gold medal, his third ISSF title of the year.
Capping Off a Remarkable Season
Although he narrowly missed the top spot, Tomar capped off the year in impressive fashion. After a relatively quiet first half of the season, he finished with a powerful trio of major medals:
- Gold at the Asian Championships
- Silver at the World Championships
- Silver at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha
This silver in Doha was India's fourth medal at the event, highlighting the country's growing prowess in international shooting sports. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar's consistent performance at the highest level solidifies his position as one of India's leading rifle shooters and a strong contender for future global podiums.
