Anish Rises to the Moment, Clinches Bronze in High-Intensity Pistol Final

India’s shooting contingent continued its strong run at the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi, with Anish Bhanwala adding another international medal to his growing résumé. The young Indian marksman clinched the bronze medal in the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event after an intense eight-shooter final. Anish registered 23 hits to finish third, having looked in contention for gold midway through the final before late pressure cost him the top spot. Japan’s Dai Yoshioka secured gold with a commanding score, while Kazakhstan’s Nikita Chiryukin claimed silver. The result underlines India’s growing depth in rapid-fire pistol, an event that demands extreme speed, precision, and mental control.

This podium finish marks Anish’s third consecutive individual Asian medal , completing a notable hat-trick at the continental level after earlier bronze and silver finishes in previous editions. Fellow Indian shooter Adarsh Singh also made the final and ended sixth , reflecting India’s double presence in the medal round. In qualification, both Indians had placed among the top eight to advance, demonstrating consistency across stages. India’s strength extended to the team event , where the trio of Anish, Adarsh, and Neeraj Kumar combined for 1708 points to secure the team silver medal . Although Neeraj finished outside the individual final, his qualification score proved vital in the aggregate standings.

India also celebrated success in the non-Olympic 50m Rifle Prone event. Babu Singh Panwar earned bronze with a score of 621.3 . Interestingly, compatriot Siddharth Gaur shot 622.3 , even setting an Asian-level mark , but competed under ranking points status, which made him ineligible for a medal elevating Panwar to the podium. The Indian rifle team of Panwar, Samarveer Singh , and Tiwana Sartaj Singh added further glory by winning team silver in the same discipline.

With these performances, India strengthened its standing in the championship medal tally , reaching a total of 22 medals - 8 gold , 8 silver , and 6 bronze showcasing dominance across both pistol and rifle categories. Organized by the Asian Shooting Confederation , the tournament features elite shooters from around 20 countries and concludes on February 13 , with India emerging as one of the most consistent performers of the meet.