All posts tagged: manu bhaker

NRAI launch athlete app to celebrate 75th anniversary

NRAI launch athlete app to celebrate 75th anniversary

Published by Webster

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) marked a historic milestone as it launched celebrations for its 75th anniversary at a landmark event graced by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the presence of senior dignitaries and athletes. The event also continued to build momentum for the Shooting League of India (SLI), further underlining Indian shooting’s ambitious roadmap for the future. As part of the celebrations, NRAI unveiled its special 75-year commemorative logo, symbolising seven and a half decades of excellence, discipline, and achievement in Indian shooting. Moreover, NRAI announced a massive nationwide grassroots initiative aimed at introducing 7,50,000 new school and college students to shooting before the 2028 Olympics through a hands-on ‘10-shot experience’. The programme will be rolled out across multiple states and districts in collaboration with institutions such as Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), universities, school boards, and State Associations. The initiative is designed to create awareness and participation at the grassroots level, helping identify and inspire the next generation of Indian shooters. The occasion also saw the …

Indian shooters to focus on recovery, longer breaks with eye on big medals | Sport-others News

Indian shooters to focus on recovery, longer breaks with eye on big medals | Sport-others News

Published by Webster

Reigning 10m air pistol World Champion Samrat Rana, current 25m rapid fire pistol silver medallist Anish Bhanwala, Paris Olympic double medallist Manu Bhaker — a crack Indian shooting team will kickstart the Asian Shooting Championships at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range from Wednesday with an intense year of domestic and international competitions in the offing. The first international tournament of the year has come at a restrained pace for the Indians who can take solace in a tournament that won’t have Chinese shooters, and a curtailed Korean squad – two countries that aren’t just significant challenges at the Asian level but genuine world class shooting squads. In that Indian shooters have the chance to pick up plenty of medals at the continental level without having to completely push their limits. Shooters from Japan and Kazakhstan offer competition, but overall the Indian squad remains top-tier in the world of shooting, something that should reflect in the medal tally not just at the senior, but at the junior and youth levels of this tournament. This year …

Indian shooters to capitalise on home advantage – Preview

Indian shooters to capitalise on home advantage – Preview

Published by Webster

India will field a strong 118-member squad at the 2026 Asian Shooting Championship Rifle/Pistol that gets underway at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on Wednesday. Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, defending Asian champion Aishwary Tomar, World Champion Samrat Rana, World Cup Final Champion Suruchi Singh, Arjun Babuta, and Elavenil Valarivan will lead a strong Indian team. A total of 311 athletes from 20 countries, including hosts India, will be vying for top honours as 30 medals across the junior and senior categories will be up for grabs. Youth competitions will also be held alongside. Kazakhstan has sent the second largest contingent with 35 shooters, regional powerhouses Iran (28), Korea and Japan have also fielded strong squads. The presence of as many as seven defending champions, including five Indian athletes, will add spice to the tournament. The opening day will witness as many as four blockbuster finals, including men’s and women’s 10m air pistol and the junior and youth men’s 10m air pistol. Indians in action (Senior) Air Rifle (Men): Arjun Babuta, Rudrankksh …

India to host 2027 Asian Rifle/Pistol C’ship as a Los Angeles Olympic quota event

India to host 2027 Asian Rifle/Pistol C’ship as a Los Angeles Olympic quota event

Published by Webster

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced that New Delhi had won the bid to host the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2027, at which eight quota places for the Los Angeles 2028 (LA 28) Summer Olympic Games will be awarded. The same was confirmed through a letter sent to Shri. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President, NRAI, by H.E. Eng. Duaij AlOtaibi, Secretary General, Asian Shooting Confederation (ASC), on Monday (Feb 02, 2026). It will be the second time in a row that India will be hosting the premier continental championship for Rifle and Pistol shooters after the 2026 edition, starting this week at the same venue. It is pertinent to note that the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), the global apex body of the sport, had earlier allotted the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun to be held in New Delhi in April 2027, where a total of 12 LA 28 quota places will be on offer. Commenting on the hugely positive development, Shri. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said, “This will be a significant boost to Indian …

2025: Her Year – Behind Suruchi Phogat’s rise as India’s next big thing, a ‘Chinese shooting style’ | Sport-others News

2025: Her Year – Behind Suruchi Phogat’s rise as India’s next big thing, a ‘Chinese shooting style’ | Sport-others News

Published by Webster

Around India’s shooting ranges, there’s been a growing buzz this year about a ‘Chinese style’ teenage shooter. It’s a nod not just to her performances — though they have been spectacular — but to a philosophy: fast, aggressive and unflinchingly clinical; the hallmark of China’s shooting dominance. At the center of this buzz is Suruchi Phogat, the 19-year-old whose ascent has been so rapid that it has left even seasoned observers scrambling for comparisons: a hat-trick of World Cup gold medals, a junior world record, and climbing to the top of the world rankings before ending the year at number 2. But she’s been turning heads not just because she wins — India has seen many wunderkinds, Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker to name a couple. But it’s because of how she does it: with speed, composure, and a striking immunity to pressure. In a sport where patience is often preached as gospel, Suruchi operates on a different rhythm. A Pant in the sport of Pujaras. Many elite shooters favour a long, deliberate aim, holding …

Manu Bhaker seventh, Suruchi Phogat fail to qualify for 10m Air Pistol final

Manu Bhaker seventh, Suruchi Phogat fail to qualify for 10m Air Pistol final

Published by Webster

Haryana’s Ketan Malik overcame a strong field to be crowned as the champion in the women’s 10m Air Pistol final at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions, currently underway at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on Thursday. The elaborate field consisted of Paris Olympic double medalist Manu Bhaker, who finished seventh overall with 137.2 points, Asian Games champion Palak Gulia, who finished fifth with 179.2 points. Suruchi Phogat failed to qualify for the final and finished 14th overall with a score of 577. Ketan struck the gold with 240.0, ahead of Meenu Pathak of Delhi, who took silver with 238.4, and Surbhi Rao, who claimed bronze with 219.5. In the Junior Women’s category, Vanshika Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh emerged on top, edging Anjali Shekhawat by 0.2 for gold, while Palak Gulia secured bronze, and Army Marksmanship Unit’s Lakshita Bishnoi claimed the youth title after a narrow 0.6 victory over Rashmika Sahgal, with Sanskriti Bana completing the podium. The final followed an extensive qualification phase that saw over 900 shooters compete across …

Indian shooters hit the bull’s-eye in 2025: A year in review

Indian shooters hit the bull’s-eye in 2025: A year in review

Published by Webster

Riding on the highs of the 2024 Paris Olympics, India’s shooters entered 2025 with an uphill task: to match, or possibly surpass their previous performances. While the task appeared daunting at the outset, as the year progressed, the Indian shooting contingent grew from strength to strength on the back of several strong finishes across major competitions and consistent medal runs across World Cups. The presence of 15 Indian shooters (nine in pistol, five in rifle, and one in shotgun) at the 2025 ISSF World Cup Final in Doha stood as a testament to their consistent excellence throughout the year. India finished second behind China, securing 2 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze. The feat was remarkable, considering the World Cup Final features only the best performers of the season across the 12 individual Olympic events. India also had a dominant run at the Asian Championship in Shymkent, where the shooters delivered a staggering performance, winning 50 gold, 26 silver, and 23 bronze medals. Young guns making a splash A new wave of young talent defined …

Shooting: 2027 ISSF World Cup in Delhi named qualifying event for 2028 LA Olympics

Shooting: 2027 ISSF World Cup in Delhi named qualifying event for 2028 LA Olympics

Published by Webster

In a massive boost to the Indian shooting sport community, the 2027 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi has been announced as a qualifying event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The World Cup in Delhi will offer a total of 12 quota places – one in each of the 12 Olympic disciplines, which are included in the 2028 Olympics roster. The development came to light as the International Shooting Sport Federation announced the 2028 Olympics qualification pathway on Thursday. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle in shooting will start with the 2026 ISSF World Championships slated to be held in Doha next year with a whopping 36 quota places on offer. Quota places will also be awarded at the 2027 World Championships, Asian Championships, each of the 2027 ISSF World Cup stages, and the ranking route. Shooting was one of India’s most successful sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Manu Bhaker winning twin medals. Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale also found themselves on the podium in the sport. India has won a …

Simranpreet Kaur Brar wins 25m pistol gold in stacked field at ISSF World Cup Final | Sport-others News

Simranpreet Kaur Brar wins 25m pistol gold in stacked field at ISSF World Cup Final | Sport-others News

Published by Webster

Twenty one-year-old Punjab shooter Simranpreet Kaur Brar had watched several videos of her fellow finalists of the women’s 25m pistol final in the ISSF World Cup Final at Doha, Qatar, and dreamt of being on the podium with them, one day. With Paris double medallist Manu Bhaker failing to make finals, Simran stepped up to win gold at the Doha World Cup. The World No 31 had the likes of Paris champion Yang Ji-in of Korea, World number 2 Yao Qianxun, 2023 World champion Doreen Vennekamp of Germany, Paris 10m air pistol champion Oh Ye-Jin of Korea, World number three Sun Yujjie of China and compatriot World Championship bronze medallist Esha Singh to contend with. But Simran shot one short of Korean Kim Yejin’s world record score of 42, to claim gold. “This title is the biggest medal of my career and I am glad that I could come right on my technique and it worked. There are now more things to focus on in the coming years and this title will add to my …

Simranpreet Brar stuns Olympic Champion to win gold

Simranpreet Brar stuns Olympic Champion to win gold

Published by Webster

The 21-year-old Simranpreet Kaur Brar clinched the women’s 25m sports pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Final 2025 in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday. She also equalled the Junior World Record of Paris Olympics Champion Yang Ji-In of South Korea with 41 hits out of 50 shots in a packed finals field. In the final, she also finished ahead of Yang and Oh Ye-Jin, Paris Olympic champion in air pistol, en route to her first major senior international gold medal. On the other hand, India’s other finalist in this event, Esha Singh, missed out on the podium, finishing in 7th position with 15 hits out of 25 shots. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar wins silver The seasoned player Aiswary Tomar won India’s first and only rifle medal at this season’s finale with a silver medal in the men’s 50m 3 Positions event. He shot 413.3 in a newly introduced finals format of 50m 3P, which is likely to be a format for the LA Olympics. Under this, there are just 40 finals shots instead of …