India’s very own shooting superstar Esha Singh and double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker lit up the range on Monday and delivered a double-podium performance for the nation at the ISSF World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) in Hangzhou, China. Esha produced a masterclass in coolness and accuracy at the women’s 25m pistol event to win a gold medal, while Manu fought the odds and hung on to win the bronze medal.
The Tricolor reigns supreme as the Indian duo dominated from the beginning of the qualification rounds. Manu took top place in the qualifications with 586-20x, while Esha placed second with 585-18x earning her way to the eight-shooter final. Rahi Sarnobat (Asian Games gold medallist) also performed well with 582-16x and proved India’s depth and supremacy in women’s pistol disciplines on the international stage.
When the pressure increased in the medal round, 21-year-old Esha did just so. The Hyderabad shooter was able to remain calm and collected in the end with 40 hits out of 50 in the elimination to finish three clear points ahead of China’s silver medalist Yueyue Zhang (37 hits). Esha’s win is just the latest chapter in the amazing story of her success, which started when she won a record-breaking number of medals at the ISSF World Cup in Munich this year. When she speaks of her victory, Esha admitted that the mental pressure of high expectations was the biggest challenge. The fact that she was so familiar with the Hangzhou range, where she took four medals at the 2023 Asian Games, helped her to achieve it.
In Paris, Manu Bhaker was a hero. In a fiercely competitive and tense final, Manu survived a crucial double shoot-off against formidable opponents to finish strong and win the bronze medal with 28 hits. Manu said after the podium finish that it was a great stepping stone and made her very tactical and prepared for bigger games ahead (World Championships, Asian Games).
The record-breaking gold and bronze finish of India made it a national record medal-holder at the tournament and solidified the country’s position as a shooting nation for future international competitions.
