In a significant achievement for India, 21-year-old Anish Bhanwala clinched a Paris Olympics quota by winning a bronze medal in rapid fire pistol shooting at the Asian Championships held in Changwon. This marks a turning point in Anish's journey after a period of struggle at the senior international level.
Anish Bhanwala first garnered attention in 2017 when he demonstrated his exceptional talent in pistol shooting by winning two world junior titles. He further solidified his potential by securing a gold medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the rapid-fire pistol category, all at the young age of 15.
Despite his early successes, Anish faced several challenges on the path to senior international recognition. While he came close to podium finishes on multiple occasions, the elusive medal remained just out of reach. Even at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, he finished 22nd in the individual competition but managed to secure a team bronze.
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The turning point occurred at the Asian Championships in Changwon. Anish displayed remarkable skill by shooting 588 in the two-stage qualification, securing a third-place finish and a spot in the six-shooter final. He shot with precision during the qualification rounds and maintained his composure in the final, ultimately losing the shoot-off for the silver medal to Dai Yoshioka of Japan. The gold went to Korea's Lee Gunhyeok.
Anish's performance earned India its fifth Paris Olympics quota place from the competition. Indian shooters have now secured a total of 12 quota places for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Additionally, other Indian shooters in the event, such as Vijayveer Sidhu and Adarsh Singh, participated but missed out on qualification.
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In the trap event, the men's team of Zoravar Singh Sandhu, Kynan Chenai, and Prithviraj Tondaiman clinched silver, finishing just three points behind the gold-winning team from Qatar.
Indian shooters continue to make their mark on the international stage, adding to their impressive medal count at the Asian Championships, with a total of 30 medals, including eight gold.
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