Esha Strikes Gold, Manu Takes Bronze in Women's 25m Pistol at ISSF World Cup

Hangzhou: Indian shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker delivered a superb performance in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou, China, winning two medals for the country. Esha clinched the gold medal, while Manu secured bronze, adding to India's growing medal tally at the tournament.

Esha displayed remarkable composure in the eight-shooter final, finishing with 40 hits to claim the top spot on the podium. Manu, a double medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, fought through a closely contested final and survived a crucial shoot-off before finishing with 28 hits to take bronze.

Both Indian shooters had impressed in the qualification round. Manu topped the standings with 586-20x, while Esha qualified second with 585-18x, comfortably booking their places in the final. Former Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat narrowly missed qualification after scoring 582-16x. Simranpreet Kaur Brar (576-20x) and Abhidnya Ashok Patil (573-16x) competed under Ranking Points Only (RPO) status.

After winning gold, Esha admitted that living up to expectations following her record-breaking performance earlier this season had made the competition mentally demanding.

"This match carried a lot of pressure because of my previous success. As you improve, the expectations only grow stronger. I'm happy that I managed to overcome that pressure today. I also enjoy competing in Hangzhou. My experience here during the Asian Games, where I won four medals, gave me confidence. Being familiar with the range, lighting and overall atmosphere certainly worked in my favour," she said.

The victory marks another major achievement for the 21-year-old shooter from Hyderabad. Earlier this year at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Esha created history by setting both senior and junior world records with 43 hits in the final. A Paris 2024 Olympian and Arjuna Award recipient, she continues to establish herself among the world's leading pistol shooters.

Manu said the bronze medal was an encouraging step as she prepares for bigger international events.

"This medal is important because it shows me what is working and helps me understand the direction I need to take. While winning a medal always boosts confidence, the experience gained from such a competitive final will be even more valuable as I prepare for the World Championships and the Asian Games," Manu said.

Manu's latest podium finish further underlines her consistency on the international stage. She had already etched her name into history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single edition of the Games.

With inputs from IANS