India’s Anish Bhanwala etched his name in the annals of Indian shooting history by clinching the silver medal in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event at the ISSF World Championships (Rifle/Pistol) in Cairo on Sunday.
The 23-year-old delivered a composed and determined performance under immense pressure, enduring two nerve-wracking shoot-offs to claim his first-ever senior individual World Championship medal. With a final tally of 28 hits, Bhanwala became the first Indian shooter ever to win a World Championships medal in an Olympic pistol event, a milestone that marks a new era for Indian shooting.
Anish Bhanwala Rises from Olympic Heartbreak
Bhanwala’s triumph comes just months after his disappointment at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished 13th and narrowly missed a spot in the six-man final. Rather than letting the setback define him, the young shooter viewed it as a “positive learning curve.”
“The Paris Olympics taught me a lot- it gave me the joy of competing at the biggest stage,” Anish said from Cairo. “I took a break for four months to reset and focus on the positives. Sometimes when you shoot continuously, you overthink. This time, I wanted to rebuild myself mentally and technically.”
That patient rebuilding phase paid off spectacularly in Cairo.
Precision, Composure, and Nerve
Anish qualified for the six-man final in second place with a strong score of 585-22x- shooting 291 in Stage 1 and improving to 294 in Stage 2. France’s Clement Bessaguet, who eventually won gold, topped the qualification with 589.
In the final, Anish went off to a good start with a perfect five-hit opening series, staying among the leaders through consistent four-hit rounds. The elimination stages, however, tested his mettle. After tying with Germany’s Emanuel Mueller and Ukraine’s Maksym Horodynets, Anish had to survive two consecutive shoot-offs- first to secure a podium finish, and then to clinch silver.
He prevailed in both, showcasing exceptional composure and technique. Bessaguet eventually took gold with 31 hits, while Horodynets settled for bronze behind Anish’s 28.
The Making of a Champion
Bhanwala’s journey has been marked by steady progress. Since becoming the national champion at just 15, he has shown remarkable adaptability- fine-tuning his shooting grip, mental focus, and training intensity under the guidance of coach Harpreet Singh.
“After my break, I started afresh,” he said. “I changed my grip and shooting rhythm, and that helped me rediscover my flow. This medal ends the disappointments of the last few World Championships.”
London 2012 Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar Sharma hailed the performance, calling Anish’s medal a sign of his growing maturity.
“Anish has improved rapidly at the senior level,” said Vijay. “This silver shows he’s evolving into a complete rapid-fire shooter. The key ahead will be consistency.”
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A Shining Silver for India
Anish’s performance adds to India’s growing shooting success on the world stage. With this medal, India’s tally at the Cairo meet rose to five- one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes.
The Indian team in the 25m rapid fire pistol- comprising Anish Bhanwala (585), Adarsh Singh (575), and Sameer (571)- finished fifth overall with a total of 1731 points.
For Anish, the silver also secured a berth at next month’s ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, where he will aim to continue his medal-winning form.
A New Chapter in Indian Shooting
From the heartbreak of Paris to the joy of Cairo, Anish Bhanwala’s journey has been one of resilience, reinvention, and relentless self-belief. His World Championships silver is not just a personal milestone but also a moment of pride for Indian shooting — reminiscent of Vijay Kumar’s Olympic silver in 2012, and a promise of more to come.
“It’s hard to explain this feeling,” said a visibly emotional Anish. “I’ve tried many times before, but this time I trained smarter, stayed calm, and trusted my technique. Things finally worked out in my favour.”
As the national flag rose high in Cairo, Anish Bhanwala’s smile said it all- a young shooter’s dream fulfilled, and a nation’s hope rekindled.
