Indian shooter Esha Singh wins gold in 25m pistol

Indian shooter Esha Singh won the gold medal in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou, China, on Monday, July 27, 2026. The 21-year-old from Hyderabad defeated her celebrated teammate, double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, who secured the bronze, ensuring a double podium finish for India.

Esha delivered a commanding performance in the final, registering 40 hits to clinch the top spot. Bhaker fought through a tense and competitive field, surviving a crucial shoot-off before finishing with 28 hits to take third place. The Indian shooters had dominated the qualification round earlier, with Bhaker topping the standings with a score of 586 (20x) and Esha finishing a close second with 585 (18x), comfortably advancing them to the eight-shooter final.

Reflecting on her victory, Esha acknowledged the pressure of expectations following her recent record-breaking success. "This match was very pressure-riding for me because of the previous medal I had," she said. "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." She also credited her familiarity with...