In a nail-biting finale at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship, Indian shooter Manu Bhaker came agonizingly close to gold but fell short in a dramatic shoot-off against Vietnam’s Thuy Trang Nguyen in the women’s 25m pistol event. The match unfolded at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range on Monday, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats.
The final saw intense competition among the top three: Bhaker, Nguyen, and teammate Isha Singh. Isha kicked off strongly with a perfect five shots in the first series, while Manu and Nguyen managed four each. Positions swapped dramatically after every series as the Indian shooters piled pressure on the Vietnamese ace.
Nguyen pulled ahead with a perfect series in the sixth, gaining a two-point lead. Manu and Isha clawed back in the seventh, narrowing the gap. By the end of the eighth, Isha led with 30 points, but a blank ninth series dropped her to bronze. In the decisive final series, Manu hit three while Nguyen scored two, tying at 35 shots and forcing a shoot-off.
The first shoot-off ended level with both hitting two. Tragedy struck in the second when Manu missed all three shots, handing gold to Nguyen. Isha secured bronze, marking her second individual medal of the championship. Fellow Indian Rhythm Sangwan finished fourth.
In the junior category, Naimya Kapoor clinched gold in a tense shoot-off against Indonesia’s Rihadtul Aisyifa, both tied at 29. Kapoor’s composure shone as she nailed three shots to Aisyifa’s zero. Anjali Bhagwat took bronze with 24, while Parisha Gupta ended fifth.
Indian teams dominated, adding to the tally: 37 gold, 13 silver, and 10 bronze, totaling 60 medals. This performance underscores India’s rising prowess in shooting, setting the stage for future international triumphs.