Sainyam opened India’s medal tally at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou by winning a silver medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event on Friday. In the final, she produced a composed performance to post 243.4 and secure a podium finish against an elite international field.
The 22-year-old shooter from Chandigarh reached the medal round after qualifying with a score of 579, setting up a high-stakes final in which she converted her place into silver. The result gives India an early medal at the World Cup and underlines Sainyam’s continuing momentum in the discipline.
Final score, qualification mark and the form behind the medal
Sainyam’s silver came with a final score of 243.4, while her route to the final began with a 579 in qualification. The performance also aligned with her recent domestic results, where she topped the 10m Air Pistol Trial 2 (T2) finals at the National Selection Trials in New Delhi with 243.1.
The Hangzhou podium further reinforced her run of results following a silver medal performance at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha. Taken together, the domestic and international scores highlighted in the build-up show a consistent level in finals, where small margins often decide medals.
In a statement on the result, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), praised the achievement and the manner of the performance. “Sainyam’s podium finish in Hangzhou is a testament to her dedication and technical discipline on the world stage. Competing against a top-tier international field requires immense composure, and her performance reflects the high standards she consistently strives for,” he said.
Sainyam’s rise has included major junior-level successes, with the shooter having previously won gold medals at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl and the ISSF Junior World Championships in Changwon in 2023. The report also notes a podium finish at the Khelo India Youth Games, as she continues to strengthen her place in the senior national setup.
How other Indians fared in women’s 10m air pistol
India had more representation in the latter stages of the event, with Suruchi Inder Singh also making the eight-woman final. Suruchi finished seventh with a final score of 137.6 after qualifying with 579-20x.
In qualification, Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker recorded the top score among the Indian contingent with 582-12x while competing under RPO (Ranking Points Only) status. Esha Singh placed 13th with 577-22x, while Lakshita posted 572-14x in her RPO outing.
With Sainyam’s silver, India’s medal account at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou is underway, and the women’s 10m air pistol results provided multiple Indian performances across qualification and finals, led by the podium finish that delivered the first medal.
