Ace Indian shooter Jitu Rai clinched a historic gold in the 50m Pistol event on the opening day of the 17th Asian Games at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range, in Incheon on Saturday.
Stunning 1-2 finish for India after Shambhavi, Ojasvi's keen tussle
The 23-year-old, a bronze-winner in the 10m air pistol and the 50m pistol events of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast earlier this year, shot a score of 564 to finish on top.
'I might have to compete in para category, but all that I will know when my injury report is made after four weeks," the shooter, who hails from Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh.'
Shooter Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics while Gukesh was crowned the World Chess Champion in Singapore, last month.
Jaspal Rana's obsession with shooting behind Manu's Olympic success
While the performance of pistol shooters was creditworthy, their rifle counterparts were at a different level altogether.
Asian Games gold medallist Jitu Rai has been recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for his exploits in pistol shooting in the last two years although he couldn't win a medal in the Rio Olympics. "Yes, we have recommended Jitu's name for Khel Ratna award," National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary Rajiv Bhatia said. NRAI has also recommended woman rifle shooter Apurvi Chanela and men rifle shooters Gurpreet Singh and PN Prakash for the Arjuna Awards, according to Bhatia.
Manu won the women's 10m Air Pistol on day three of competition while Saurabh bagged a team gold in the men's event.
Following is India's schedule at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday, September 30.
A look at how India's athletes fared on Day 4, Tuesday, July 30, 2024:
India's shooter Rahi Sarnobat claimed the silver medal after enduring a weapon malfunction in the women's 25m pistol event of the President's Cup in Wroclaw, Poland on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old shooter won gold in R-2 women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event on Monday before taking the 50m Rifle 3 Position SH1 bronze on Friday.
Flag bearer Tek Chand will lead the Indian contingent -- India will be represented by 54 para athletes, the biggest ever contingent in the history of the Games.
India also bagged three 2024 Paris Olympic quotas while they had won two Tokyo Games quota places from the Changwon worlds.
'I did work with him for few a days because my Federation asked me, saying 'just give him a chance and see if it works for you'. But it was sort of miserable. I don't want to work with him. I don't find him competent enough'
The bronze medals on day two of the competitions at the International Shooting Sport Federation event took India's count to five medals (two gold and three bronze).
India's Heena Sidhu made a grand return to form by winning the gold medal in the 10m air pistol women's event at the 13th Asian Shooting Championship, in Kuwait City, on Friday.
India produced their best ever show at the ISSF World Cup after sweeping both the mixed team titles on Thursday for a total tally of five gold medals in Munich.
Indian shooters ruled the roost for the fourth successive day as they made a clean sweep of all the six gold medals on offer in the 12th South Asian Games, in Guwahati, on Saturday.
Manish Narwal and Rubina Francis won the 10m P6 air pistol mixed team event to clinch India's third gold medal at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Chateauroux, France on Wednesday.
The gigantic Stade de France resembled a concert hall hosting a party to celebrate the fortnight of sporting excellence as the breathtaking Closing Ceremony of the Paris Olympics kicked-off with athletes marching into the iconic stadium to thunderous applause in Paris on Sunday.
A day after clinching the 50m pistol gold in the ongoing Asian Games, Jitu Rai said he has not spoken to his mother for the last one month.
Mehuli Ghosh and Shahu Tushar Mane won India's second gold medal of the on-going International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Changwon, Korea.
For Sweta, this was the worst ever performance despite winning the gold in women's 10m air pistol finals.
Saurabh Chaudhary shot 16 in the gold medal contest to finish ahead of Germany's Michael Schwald (6).
Para shooter Rubina Francis lights up India's day with bronze at Paris Paralympics on Saturday.
Manu Baker won two gold medals in as many days on a World Cup debut
Modi lauded the shooter for the manner in which she redeemed herself after the disappointment in Tokyo.
The teenager could be the youngest ever to win senior World Cup gold medals for India though the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) could not confirm.
Rhythm Sangwan and Anish Bhanwala won the gold medal in the 25m rapid fire pistol mixed team event
All of the 15 shooters are capable of winning medals, but few are seen as sure shot to secure podium finishes
Prachi Yadav became the first Indian to win a para canoe gold in the Asian Para Games.
India has also picked up one Paris 2024 Olympics quota place after Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil stunned a high-quality field on Friday, to become the 10 air rifle men's world champion.
The Indian hockey team entered the Olympic semifinals for a second successive edition but Lakshya Sen's zealous push for a gold turned into a hunt for bronze on a bitter-sweet Sunday for India at the Paris Games.
The Cairo World Cup will be held in all three disciplines -- pistol, rifle and shotgun -- and will conclude on February 1.
It was all thanks to a shooting range in their village Sasroli. The facility that was run by Kargil war veteran Anil Jakhar, was very close to their house and came as a blessing in disguise when Suruchi had to halt her Bhiwani sojourns due to the pandemic in 2020.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 6, Thursday, August 1, 2024:
Olympic bronze-medallist Gagan Narang won a silver medal in the men's 50m rifle prone event of the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane.
'This was due to some issue over time slots as athletes from all competing nations train at the same venue'
