India endured a second successive medal-less day at the ISSF World Cup (rifle/pistol/shotgun) in Hangzhou on Thursday, with the campaign showing little improvement in what is effectively the team’s final major tune-up before the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya later this year.
While nations such as Qatar, Sweden and Norway opened their accounts, India’s best moments came through two finalists—Vidarsa Vinod in the women’s 50m rifle three positions and Gurjoat Khangura in men’s skeet—both of whom ultimately finished sixth.
Vidarsa Vinod reaches 50m 3P final; India’s other rifle entries struggle
Vidarsa Vinod emerged as India’s lone bright spot in the women’s 50m rifle three positions event, reaching the eight-shooter final after qualifying seventh with a score of 587. In the final, she finished sixth, leaving India still searching for a first medal at the meet.
Great Britain’s world No. 3 Seonaid McIntosh won the gold medal, China’s Han Jiayu took silver, and Norway’s Jenny Stene claimed bronze.
Elsewhere in the same qualification round, India’s remaining shooters found it difficult to stay in the mix. Ashi Chouksey shot 585 to place 23rd, while Tilottama Sen recorded 580 to finish 40th, extending what has been an underwhelming start for the Indian contingent at the final global competition before the Asian Games in September-October.
Men’s skeet: Khangura fights through shoot-off but ends sixth
There was a measure of fightback in the men’s skeet event as Gurjoat Khangura produced two flawless rounds of 25 to close qualification on 121/125. That score took him into a shoot-off for the eighth and final spot in the final, where he beat Kuwait’s Mohammad Alawaad to secure a place among the finalists.
However, Khangura could not convert that late push into a podium finish and ended the final in sixth place.
Among the other Indian entries, Abhay Singh Sekhon finished 20th with 119/125. Veteran Parampal Singh Guron, 53, had a difficult day and ended 81st with 107/125 in a field of 86 shooters—an outcome the report noted is likely to raise fresh questions over the National Rifle Association of India’s selection policy.
Women’s skeet misses out; rapid fire pistol keeps hopes alive
India’s women skeet shooters were unable to make the final. Ganemat Sekhon was the best-placed Indian in 23rd with 113/125, followed by Yashasvi Rathore in 28th with 110 and Darsha Rathore in 34th with 109.
In the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, Bhavesh Shekhawat kept India’s hopes alive by ending Stage 1 in ninth place with 292. World Championship silver medallist Anish Bhanwala was 21st with 288, while Omkar Singh was tied for 23rd on the same score.
Stage 2 is scheduled for Friday, after which the top eight shooters will qualify for the final.
Medal table snapshot: China leads as 15 medals decided
After five events and 15 medals decided so far, China led the table with two gold, three silver and two bronze. The United States sat second with one gold and one silver, while Great Britain and Qatar had one gold each.
For India, the day underscored the urgency of finding consistency and podium finishes in Hangzhou, with the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya later this year looming as the next major target on the calendar.
