Hangzhou: The fast-rising Esha Singh grabbed the gold by upstaging Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker, who took the bronze to complete a double-podium finish for India in the women’s 25m pistol event of the ISSF World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) here Monday.
The 21-year-old Esha produced a commanding display in the final, registering 40 hits to seal the gold medal, while Paris 2024 double Olympic medallist Manu fought through a tense, highly competitive field, winning a crucial shoot-off before finishing with 28 hits to secure bronze.
The Indian squad set the benchmark early in the qualification round.
Manu topped the qualifying standings with an outstanding score of 586-20x, closely followed by Esha in second place with 585-18x to comfortably advance to the eight-shooter final.
Former Asian Games gold-medallist Rahi Sarnobat posted 582-16x, while Simranpreet Kaur Brar (576-20x) and Abhidnya Ashok Patil (573-16x) delivered steady performances competing under Ranking Points Only (RPO) status.
Reflecting on overcoming the mental pressure following her record-setting World Cup gold in Munich earlier this season, Esha said, “This match was very pressure-ridden 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.
“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.”
Speaking after the match on her performance and building momentum for the season ahead, Manu 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.
“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.”
The gold medal adds another landmark achievement for Esha, who hails from Hyderabad.
Earlier this season at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Esha scripted history by setting both the senior and junior world records with 43 hits in the final.
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