Manu Bhaker qualifies for 10m air pistol final; India miss team medal by 2 inner-10s
Synopsis
Manu Bhaker is through to the women's 10m air pistol final at Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya — but India's team bronze dream was shattered by a two inner-10s deficit to Vietnam, both sides finishing on 1719. The double Olympic medallist, who missed an individual Asian Games medal in Hangzhou, now has another shot at redemption in the final.
Key Takeaways
Manu Bhaker qualified third for the women's 10m air pistol final at Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya with a score of 579 (20x) .
India finished fourth in the team event with 1719-44x , missing bronze by just 2 inner-10s to Vietnam (1719-46x) .
Esha Singh finished 15th (572-12x) and Suruchi Singh finished 26th (568-12x) in individual qualification.
India's shooting campaign has already yielded multiple silvers via Elavenil Valarivan , Himanshu Dhillon , and Rundrakksh Patil .
Manu previously missed an individual medal at Hangzhou 2022 but won team gold in the women's 25m pistol event.
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker secured a place in the women's 10m air pistol final at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya on Wednesday, 23 September, finishing third in qualification with a total score of 579, including 20x. However, the day ended in heartbreak for India in the team event, with the side finishing just two inner-10s short of a bronze medal.
Manu's Qualification Journey
Manu started cautiously, posting a modest 95 in the opening round. She responded sharply in the second series with 96, then hit a high of 98 in the third round. Scores of 96, 96 and 98 in the final three series propelled her from eighth position into third place overall in the 60-shot qualification, earning her a spot in the final. Her ability to peak under pressure mirrors the resilience that won her two medals at the Paris Olympics — making her the first Indian to claim two medals at a single Olympic edition.
Agonising Team Exit
The women's 10m air pistol team of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Suruchi Singh finished fourth with a combined score of 1719-44x. Vietnam claimed the bronze with an identical aggregate of 1719 but edged India on inner-10s count, finishing with 46x against India's 44x — a margin of just two inner-10s. Esha Singh bowed out of the individual qualification in 15th place with a score of 572-12x, while Suruchi Singh finished 26th with 568-12x.
India's Shooting Campaign So Far
India have already made a strong start to their shooting programme at Nagoya 2026. The opening medal came in the women's 10m air rifle team event, where Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod claimed silver. Elavenil also added an individual silver in the same discipline. The men's 10m air rifle team of Himanshu Dhillon and Rundrakksh Patil then bagged silver, with both athletes going on to secure a silver and bronze respectively in the individual competition the following day.
Manu's Unfinished Business at Asian Games
Manu had notably missed an individual medal in the Hangzhou Asian Games 2022, though she was part of the women's 25m pistol team that struck gold alongside Rhythm Sangwan and Esha Singh. Having since elevated her standing to double Olympic medallist, her appearance in Wednesday's individual final represents a fresh opportunity to rewrite her Asian Games individual record. All eyes will be on how she performs when the final takes place.
Point of View
Manu Bhaker's presence in the individual final is the bigger story: she is the most decorated Indian Olympic shooter of her generation, and a strong finish here would validate the argument that her Paris heroics were no flash in the pan. The broader shooting campaign — multiple silvers across rifle events — points to genuine depth, but the team's inability to convert narrow leads into medals will be a focus for coaches ahead of the 2028 cycle.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Manu Bhaker qualify for the 10m air pistol final at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, Manu Bhaker qualified for the women's 10m air pistol final at Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya by finishing third in the 60-shot qualification with a total score of 579, including 20 inner-10s.
Why did India miss the team medal in the women's 10m air pistol event?
India finished fourth with an aggregate score of 1719-44x, tied with bronze medallists Vietnam who had 1719-46x. The two-inner-10 difference was enough to hand the bronze to Vietnam under tiebreaker rules.
How did Esha Singh and Suruchi Singh perform in qualification?
Esha Singh finished 15th in individual qualification with a score of 572-12x, while Suruchi Singh ended 26th with 568-12x — both missing the cut for the individual final.
What medals has India won in shooting at Asian Games 2026 so far?
India have claimed multiple medals in the 10m air rifle events: team silver via Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod; individual silver for Elavenil; team silver for Himanshu Dhillon and Rundrakksh Patil; and individual silver and bronze for Himanshu and Rundrakksh respectively.
What is Manu Bhaker's history at the Asian Games?
Manu Bhaker missed an individual medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022 but was part of the women's 25m pistol team that won gold alongside Rhythm Sangwan and Esha Singh. She later became the first Indian to win two medals at a single Olympic edition, at Paris 2024.
