Saurabh wins gold, Abhishek gets bronze in Men's 10m Air Pistol

Teenager Saurabh Chaudhary produced a record-breaking performance to win the gold medal in the men's 10-metre air pistol event at the 2018 Asian Games on Tuesday, while compatriot Abhishek Verma secured the bronze as India enjoyed a memorable day in shooting.

The 16-year-old Chaudhary scored 240.7 points in the final to set a new Asian Games record and claim India's third gold medal of the Games. Verma, 29, finished third with 219.3 points, taking India's overall medal tally to seven.

Japan's Tomoyuki Matsuda, 42, won the silver with 239.7 points.

The gold-medal contest went down to the final series, with Chaudhary and Matsuda separating themselves from the rest of the field. Verma was eliminated after the eighth series with 219.3 points.

Matsuda had led the final for most of the competition, but the Japanese shooter faltered at the crucial moment. He opened the ninth and final series with an 8.9, allowing Chaudhary to move ahead after the Indian responded with a 10.2.

Matsuda tried to fight back with a 10.3 on his second shot, but Chaudhary held his nerve and fired a 10.4 to effectively seal the gold.

Chaudhary had already announced his potential in the qualification round, finishing at the top with a score of 586. He carried that form into the final, recording 50.6 in the opening five-shot series and 50.8 in the second to reach 101.4 points.

Although Matsuda had built an early advantage, Chaudhary steadily remained within striking distance. He produced a series of strong scores through the middle stages, including 19.4, 20.0, 20.6 and 20.2, to stay firmly in contention.

By the end of the seventh series, the battle for the medals had narrowed considerably. Chaudhary and Matsuda remained in the hunt for gold, while Verma continued to challenge for a podium finish.

The eighth series proved decisive for Verma, who scored 19.6 before being eliminated. That left Chaudhary and Matsuda to fight for the top spot in the final two-shot series.

Chaudhary's composure under pressure ultimately made the difference. His strong finish not only secured India's third gold of the Games but also established him as one of the country's brightest young shooting talents on the international stage.