Our Bureau
Hangzhou
India added another medal to its tally at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou after the pairing of Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon secured the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event on Tuesday.
The Indian duo, competing as India 2, delivered a composed performance in the qualification round to finish second with an aggregate score of 634.6, earning a place in the four-team medal round. They carried their form into the final, accumulating 441.2 points to finish third behind two Chinese teams that dominated the event. Host nation China 1 claimed the gold medal with 505.0 points, edging China 2, which settled for silver with 504.6 in a closely contested final.
India also had another strong pair in contention, with Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Rakesh Mane (India 1) qualifying for the medal round after finishing third in qualification with 634.2. However, they ended fourth in the final with 378.8 points, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
The bronze medal further underlined India’s depth in rifle shooting, with both Indian pairs advancing to the final ahead of several experienced international combinations. Sonam contributed 220.6 points in the medal round, while Himanshu matched her tally with another 220.6, helping India secure its place on the podium.
The result adds to India’s encouraging campaign in Hangzhou, where the contingent has produced several podium finishes across rifle and pistol disciplines. Earlier in the competition, Sainyam Vij won silver in the women’s 10m air pistol, while Esha Singh struck gold and Manu Bhaker claimed bronze in the women’s 25m pistol event, highlighting India’s consistent performances at the season’s penultimate ISSF World Cup.