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Sports

Esha Singh outshines Manu Bhaker to secure World Cup shooting gold

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 27 Jul 2026 27 Jul 2026

New Delhi: Esha Singh continued her fine run this season by winning the women’s 25m pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou on Monday. The 21-year-old held her composure in a tense final to finish on top while Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker claimed bronze, giving India two places on the podium in a memorable outing.

The result once again highlighted India’s strength in women’s pistol shooting. Esha backed up her record-breaking performances from earlier this season with another impressive display, while Manu showed her fighting spirit by staying in medal contention until the very end.

India had already made its mark during qualification. Manu finished first with a score of 586-20x while Esha followed closely with 585-18x to book their places in the final.

Former Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat also impressed with 582-16x. Simranpreet Kaur Brar and Abhidnya Ashok Patil also put in solid performances while competing under Ranking Points Only (RPO) status.

Esha handles pressure well

When it mattered most, Esha stayed calm and produced a winning performance, registering 40 hits to take the gold medal. Manu fought hard throughout the final and survived a crucial shoot-off before finishing with 28 hits to secure bronze.

Esha had already set both the senior and junior world records with 43 hits at the ISSF World Cup in Munich and  admitted expectations made this competition mentally challenging.

“This match was very pressure-riding for me because of the previous medal I had. The better you get in your event, the more you feel that weight of prestige you have to conquer. I’m happy that I was able to get past it today and grateful that I had the ability to endure it.”

She also spoke about returning to a venue that holds special memories. “I really love competing here in Hangzhou. Recalling how the competition went during the Asian Games, where I won four medals, I was really excited to come back. Being familiar with the range, the lighting, and the atmosphere in the final hall definitely counted in my favour,” she said.

Manu looks ahead for next challenge

Although she missed out on gold, Manu believed the bronze medal and the experience gained from the final would prove valuable in the coming months. She said, “This medal is very important because it acts as a stepping stone. It gives me clarity on what is working and the direction I want to head in.”

Looking ahead to the busy international calendar, she added, “While the medal surely boosts my confidence, the experience I gained from this competitive match will help even more as we look ahead to major assignments like the World Championships and Asian Games.”

Esha’s latest World Cup title adds to an outstanding season that has seen her emerge as one of India’s leading shooters while Manu continues to build confidence with another podium finish as both now turn their attention towards the World Championships and the Asian Games.

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