India strikes gold and World Record in 10m Air Rifle Men's Team Event at Asian Games 2023

In a historic moment for Indian shooting, the trio of Divyansh Singh Panwar, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, and Rudrankksh Patil achieved a world record in the men's 10m Air Rifle team event, securing India's first gold medal at the Asian Games 2023. Their remarkable performance earned them an overall score of 1893.7 points, surpassing China's previous record of 1893.3 points set at the World Championships in Baku earlier in the year.

Individual success and qualification for finals

Rudrankksh Patil scored 632.5, securing the third position, while Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar achieved 631.6, placing fifth. Both of them qualified for the men's 10m Air Rifle individual final, scheduled later. However, Divyansh Singh Panwar, though securing a spot in the top eight, could not advance to the final due to the rule allowing only two shooters per country. Thus, Patil and Tomar, with higher rankings, would compete in the finals.

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Initially, the Indian team was fourth in the rankings, which can change quickly in shooting as competitors complete their 10-shot series. Rudrankksh and Tomar were initially in the bottom half of the top ten, with Divyansh lagging in the 17th position. Nevertheless, their collective effort propelled India to the third position in the team rankings, raising hopes of a medal.

Breaking the World Record

The Indian team, comprising world champion Rudrankksh, Olympian Divyansh, and Aishwary, scored 1893.7 during the qualification round, breaking the world record of 1893.3 set by the Chinese just a month prior. Rudrankksh scored 632.5, Tomar 631.6, and Panwar 629.6, achieving the world record score. South Korea secured silver with an aggregate of 1890.1, while China won the bronze with a score of 1888.2.

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This marks India's third medal in shooting at the 19th Asian Games, adding to the country's tally of seven medals in various events, including rowing. The achievement stands as a testament to the skill and dedication of Indian shooters on the international stage.