Indian pistol shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker delivered a stellar performance in the Women’s 25m Pistol competition at the Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou, China, capturing gold and bronze, respectively.
The pair set the pace during qualification, where Bhaker finished top with a score of 586-20x, closely followed by Singh in second at 585-18x. In the eight-shooter final, dominated with 40 hits to claim top honours. Paris 2024 double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker survived a tense shoot-off to record 28 hits and lock in the bronze medal. This was a rare occasion for the Indian contingent to have two players on the podium at the ISSF World Cup.
Among other Indian competitors, former Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat shot 582-16x, while Simranpreet Kaur Brar (576-20x) and Abhidnya Ashok Patil (573-16x) competed under Ranking Points Only (RPO) status. The victory marks another milestone for Hyderabad’s Esha Singh, who previously broke senior and junior world records with 43 hits at the Munich World Cup earlier this season.
Manu Bhaker reflects on her medal win and talks about improvement in her game going forward
Despite adding another international medal to her collection, expressed mixed emotions about her bronze-medal finish.
“Another bronze. I have mixed feelings about this one. I’m happy that I was able to improve my performance, but at the same time, I know I could have done better,” Bhaker wrote in a post on X.
The Olympic medalist emphasised that seeing steady progress keeps her driven for future challenges. Bhaker added that she is still motivated to compete for the top honours after finishing third at the ISSF World Cup. She further thanked the supporters and her parents for their support throughout her journey.
“What makes me happy is seeing that the hard work is showing. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, and that’s what keeps me motivated. One step at a time,” she said.
Bhaker concluded by expressing gratitude toward her supporters: “Major thanks to my team, my family, and each one of you for the unwavering love and support; it means the world to me,” she added.