Samrat Rana Makes History as First Indian World Champion in 10m Air Pistol

Young Indian shooter Samrat Rana clinches gold in the men's 10m air pistol at the ISSF World Championships, marking a historic achievement for India.

Samrat Rana, a young Indian shooter, made history by winning the men's 10m air pistol gold at the ISSF World Championships. At just 20, Samrat became the first Indian pistol shooter to achieve this feat in an Olympic discipline. His victory also contributed to India's team gold in the event.

India's medal tally improved significantly with three golds, three silvers, and three bronzes. This performance moved India from fifth to third place on the leaderboard. China led with six golds, four silvers, and two bronzes.

Indian Shooters Shine

In a thrilling final, Samrat scored 243.7 to surpass China's Hu Kai, who secured silver with 243.3. Varun Tomar, another Indian shooter, claimed bronze with a score of 221.7. The competition was intense, with the lead changing multiple times among the top three shooters.

Samrat's journey to success has been guided by his father since 2018. He had been close to breaking through at the senior level for a year. As a student at DAV College in Karnal, he previously won the World University gold and narrowly missed qualifying for the ISSF World Cup final in Ningbo.

Team Effort and Individual Triumphs

The Indian team clinched gold with Samrat's score of 586, Varun's identical score of 586 but fewer inner 10s, and Shravan Kumar's 582. Italy and Germany followed in second and third places respectively.

Varun Tomar's father expressed immense pride in his son's achievements. He encouraged Varun to follow his dreams rather than focus solely on academics. Varun's cousin, Olympian Saurabh Chaudhary, inspired him to take up shooting.

Challenges for Women Shooters

In contrast, India's top women shooters faced challenges in their final. Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh couldn't secure medals despite strong qualifications. Manu's performance faltered after a poor shot dropped her from first to seventh place.

Esha Singh also struggled under pressure despite her recent World Cup success. She finished sixth after an inconsistent performance in the final round.

Women's Team Silver

The women's team managed to win silver with Esha scoring 583, Manu 580, and Suruchi Inder Singh 577. Suruchi ranked first globally but finished 14th among 99 shooters due to tough competition.

Esha had entered the final on a high note after becoming the youngest national champion at age 13 and representing India at the Paris Olympics. Manu led briefly during the final but was eliminated after an unfortunate shot.

The achievements of these shooters highlight both triumphs and challenges faced by Indian athletes on international stages. Their performances reflect dedication and potential for future successes in shooting sports.

With inputs from PTI