How Did India Achieve a Clean Sweep in Women’s Air Rifle at the Jr World Cup?
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Synopsis
On Day 5 of the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025, India dominated the women's air rifle event, achieving an impressive clean sweep of the podium. With exceptional performances, the Indian shooters showcased their skills and determination, making the day unforgettable in shooting sports history.
Key Takeaways
- India dominated the women’s air rifle event with a clean sweep of medals.
- Ojasvi Thakur showcased exceptional skill, scoring 252.7.
- The qualification rounds highlighted India's strength, with the top three positions claimed by Indian shooters.
- The men's event also saw strong performances, with Himanshu winning gold.
- The trap junior qualification featured tight competition, setting the stage for exciting finals.
New Delhi, Sep 29 (NationPress) India displayed an exceptional performance in the 10m air rifle junior women’s competition at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025, held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. The Indian team achieved a remarkable clean sweep of the podium. Ojasvi Thakur clinched the gold medal with a score of 252.7, showcasing her skills with two outstanding 10.9s on her 8th and 16th shots. Teammate Hrudya Shri Kondur secured the silver with 250.2, while Shambhavi S. Kshirsagar, who led in qualifications, rounded off the Indian podium with 229.4.
The trio demonstrated their prowess during qualification, finishing in the top three positions, with Shambhavi leading at 632.0, Ojasvi closely behind at 631.9, and Hrudya in third at 629.8. The closest competitor, Anamarija Turk of Croatia, who qualified eighth, finished fourth in the final with 206.6.
Other finalists included Individual Neutral Athletes Lidiia Vasileva (184.5), Varvara Kardakova (164.2), and Mariia Kruglova (142.8), along with Slovakia’s Kamila Novotna (122.1).
In the men’s 10m air rifle junior final, India's Himanshu, who topped qualification with 633.7, maintained his form to secure gold with an impressive 250.9. Individual Neutral Athlete Dmitrii Pimenov won silver with 249.9, while India’s Abhinav Shaw took bronze with 228.4.
Another Indian, Naraen Pranav Vanitha Suresh, finished fifth with 187.0. AIN's Kamil Nuriakhmetov placed fourth with 208.3, while teammate Sergei Novoselov was sixth with 165.9. The field was completed by Croatia’s Darko Tomasevic (144.8) and Oman’s Khalid Mohammed Ali Khalaf Al Kalbani (123.5).
The 25m rapid fire pistol men junior final concluded with a thrilling shoot-off, where Aleksandr Kovalev of AIN narrowly defeated India’s Mukesh Nelavalli to win the gold medal. Both athletes were tied with 27 hits, but Kovalev triumphed in the decider, winning 3-1.
Despite this, India still secured a double podium, with Suraj Sharma, the qualification leader with 577-15x, claiming bronze with 21 hits. Sameer finished fourth with 15 hits, followed by Great Britain’s Toby Aberdeen (10) and AIN’s Georgii Tarasov (7).
On Day 1 of the trap junior qualification, competition was fierce. In the women’s section, AIN’s Kseniia Samofalova, India’s Addya Katyal, and Italy’s Sofia Gori shared the lead with 70 hits out of 75 targets, while USA’s Lucy Myers followed in fourth with 69. Four shooters, including India’s Tanisska Senthil Kumar, were tied at 68.
In the junior men’s event, Croatia’s Toni Gudelj and Spain’s Daniel Fernandez de Vicente led with 73 hits, while seven shooters were close behind with 72.
Qualification Day 2 for both trap men and women is scheduled for Tuesday (September 30), with an additional 50 targets starting at 9 AM, ahead of the medal finals in the afternoon.
Other Indian participants included:
10m Air Rifle Men Junior
Mohammed Vania - 627.1 (6th)
Piyush Sharma - 626.0 (7th)
10m Air Rifle Women Junior
Anvii Rathod – 628.3 (7th)
Isha Anil Taksale – 625.3 (10th)
25m RFP Men Junior Qualification - Stage 2
Abhinav Chaudalry - 569-21x (5th)
Jatin - 566-14x (6th)
Trap Men Junior Qualification - Day 1 (75 Targets)
Arya Vansh Tyagi - 71 (10th)
Vinay Pratap Singh Chandrawat - 70 (14th)
Udhav Singh Rathore - 70 (15th)
Arjun - 70 (16th)
Aman Chauhan - 62 (35th)
Trap Women Junior Qualification - Day 1 (75 Targets)
Addya Katyal - 70 (2nd)
Tanisska Senthil Kumar - 68 (8th)
Sabeera Haris - 67 (9th)
Shreshtha Sisodiya - 63 (17th)
Bhavya Tripathi - 58 (18th).
Point of View
I am proud to witness India's remarkable achievements at the ISSF Junior World Cup. The dedication and skill displayed by our shooters reflect the hard work put into training and preparation. This clean sweep in the women's air rifle event is a testament to our growing stature in the global sporting arena, and we can only expect even greater successes in the future.
NationPress
29/09/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What was India's performance in the women's air rifle event?
India achieved a clean sweep in the women's air rifle event at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025, with Ojasvi Thakur winning gold, Hrudya Shri Kondur securing silver, and Shambhavi S. Kshirsagar taking bronze.
Where was the ISSF Junior World Cup held?
The ISSF Junior World Cup 2025 was held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi, India.
Who were the top competitors in the men's 10m air rifle junior final?
In the men's 10m air rifle junior final, India's Himanshu won gold, Individual Neutral Athlete Dmitrii Pimenov took silver, and Abhinav Shaw from India claimed bronze.
What were some notable performances in the trap junior qualification?
In the women's trap junior qualification, AIN's Kseniia Samofalova, India's Addya Katyal, and Italy's Sofia Gori shared the lead, each achieving 70 hits from 75 targets.
When is the next qualification day for trap events?
The next qualification day for both trap men and women is scheduled for September 30, with additional targets starting at 9 AM.
