4 min readFeb 5, 2026 09:23 PM IST Usually when one tops the qualification stage of a mixed team event in shooting, there is an instant injection of dopamine. A first or second position in qualification means a guaranteed gold or silver medal – at least that’s what Indian shooting’s newest senior team pair of Suruchi Phogat and Samrat Rana thought. But as they entered the final hall at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range for the 10m air pistol final, the range officer explained the new format of the event to them, and suddenly both shooters, aged 19 and 21 respectively and beginning their second year with the senior team, were dealt a shock. The event was no longer a playoff versus another team, but a final featuring four teams with an initial stage of fifteen shots, followed by elimination. Forget gold or silver, there was now a possibility of no medal at all in the first international event with the new rules in place. But Phogat and Rana got their thoughts in gear …