At a range where nerves are tested shot by shot, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar delivered a performance that bordered on perfection. The two-time Olympian fired a stunning 470.5 to win the men’s 50m rifle three-positions gold at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions, producing a score that surpassed the existing world record by 1.6 points.
Aishwary Pratap Singh Scripts History
Though the Nationals do not carry ISSF accreditation- meaning the mark will not stand officially in the record books- the magnitude of the achievement was unmistakable. Tomar’s score was higher than the world record held by China’s Liu Yukun and underlined his status as one of the most consistent performers in world rifle shooting today.
Competing at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Range on home soil, the 24-year-old was in command from the outset. Earlier in the day, he topped the qualification round by equalling his own national record score of 597, a mark he had first registered at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha. The tone was set early; the final merely confirmed what already seemed inevitable.
Tomar’s composure under pressure stood out in a high-quality final featuring several international medallists. Niraj Kumar of the Navy claimed silver with 463.7, while Akhil Sheoran of Uttar Pradesh secured bronze with 451.8. Defending champion Kiran Ankush Jadhav finished fourth, and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Swapnil Suresh Kusale ended the contest in fifth. Olympian Arjun Babuta placed sixth.
The triumph caps an outstanding year for Aishwary Pratap Singh, who won silver at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha and gold at the Asian Shooting Championship earlier this season. His performance in Bhopal reinforces India’s growing depth in rifle shooting and signals strong momentum heading into the next Olympic cycle.
Also Read: Asian Games: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar Expresses Mixed Feelings after Securing Gold and Bronze
Action continued simultaneously at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in New Delhi, where Gurjoat Singh produced a composed display to win gold in the men’s skeet with 55 hits, edging past nine-time national champion Mairaj Ahmad Khan, who finished with 54. The result marked Mairaj’s 26th podium finish at the Nationals.
The 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions are being staged across two venues, with rifle events in Bhopal and shotgun and pistol events in New Delhi. As the championships progress, Tomar’s extraordinary effort stands out as one of the defining moments of the tournament-a reminder that Indian shooting continues to raise its own standards.
