Simranpreet Kaur Brar shines with stunning 25m pistol gold at ISSF World Cup Final

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New Delhi: Simranpreet Kaur Brar delivered the biggest performance of her young career on Sunday as she held her nerves to clinch the women’s 25m pistol gold at the ISSF World Cup Final. The 21-year-old shot a brilliant 41 in the final, matching the world Junior record and capping off a day that pushed India’s medal tally to six. Her win came alongside silver medals for Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar in the men’s 50m rifle 3P and Anish Bhanwala in the 25m rapid-fire pistol.

India stayed second on the overall standings behind China, who continue to lead with three gold, two silver and three bronze medals. But the spotlight belonged firmly to Simranpreet, whose rise over the last year has been one of Indian shooting’s most encouraging stories.

Simranpreet did not start the final the way she would have liked, missing three targets in her opening series and slipping to eighth place but here’s the thing she didn’t panic. Instead, she regrouped, found her rhythm and started stacking perfect fives when it mattered the most. Those sharp, composed shots carried her past China’s Yao Qianxun who is the reigning 10m air pistol world champion. Qianxun finished second with 36 and Germany’s former world champion Doreen Vennekamp, who settled for bronze.

It was a performance that justified every sacrifice her family made along the way including her father leaving a secure government job to support her shooting career.

Earlier in the day, Simranpreet had shot 585 in qualification to secure her place in the final, the same score as compatriot Esha Singh, who finished seventh. Manu Bhaker narrowly missed out after ending ninth with 581. For Simranpreet, this gold follows a silver at the World Cup in Lima and marks another major step in a year where she has consistently climbed the international ladder.

Aishwary and Anish add to India’s tally

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar produced a composed show in the men’s 50m rifle 2P, finishing just 0.9 behind Czech shooter Jiri Privratsky. Aishwary was especially sharp in the prone series, clawing his way up the board before a tight final phase saw Privratsky edge ahead with two high 1-0s.

In the 25m rapid-fire pistol, Anish Bhanwala once again showed why he is one of India’s most reliable finishers. He survived a tense shoot-off against world champion Clement Bessaguet before eventually taking silver behind China’s Li Yuehong.