Indian shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker delivered a masterclass at the ISSF World Championships in Doha on Tuesday, leading India to a stellar team gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event while simultaneously marching into the individual final.
Team Glory in Doha
Spearheaded by 21-year-old Esha Singh, the Indian trio—comprising Esha, double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, and Divya Subbaraju—dominated the two-day qualification event. Esha topped the Indian contingent with an impressive score of 590, backed strongly by Manu’s 587 and Divya’s solid 584.
Together, the trio amassed an aggregate score of 1761 to secure the top step of the podium. South Korea claimed silver with 1748 points, while Vietnam rounded out the top three to take bronze with 1745.
Rapid Round Resurgence
Both Esha and Manu displayed remarkable resilience after modest starts in Monday’s Precision round. Esha, who opened with 292 in Precision, turned the tide dramatically during Tuesday’s Rapid round. She fired a near-flawless series of 100, 98, and 100 for a Rapid score of 298, elevating her overall total to 590 and securing third place in the qualification standings.
Manu Bhaker mirrored the strong comeback. Shaking off a 289 in Precision, she delivered a series of 99, 99, and 100 in the Rapid stage to end on 587, clinching the sixth spot in the eight-shooter final. Teammate Divya Subbaraju narrowly missed out on an individual final berth, finishing 10th.
Germany’s Doreen Vennekamp led the overall field with 592 points—equalling the Olympic record—while Hungary’s Veronika Major slotted into second with 591.
LA 2028 Olympic Quotas in Sight
With both Esha and Manu through to the final, India stands on the precipice of adding crucial 2028 Los Angeles Olympic quota places to its tally. The top three individual medallists in the final will earn quota spots for their respective nations, raising the possibility of a double quota haul for India.
The breakthrough provides a massive shot in the arm for the national shooting camp, which had faced mixed results in rifle events alongside off-range controversies. Following Jaypal Malviya’s earlier silver in the men’s 10m air pistol, India’s pistol squad continues to anchor the country’s charge toward the next Olympic Games.
