Will India and China Compete for Supremacy at the Asian Shooting Championship?

New Delhi, Aug 16 (NationPress) As shooters prepare to ignite the competition at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun, which is set to take place from August 18 to August 29 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, the spotlight is on India and China as they engage in a fierce rivalry for dominance.

In the last Asian Championship held in Changwon, India secured a second-place finish, trailing behind China with a total of 59 medals (21 gold, 22 silver, and 16 bronze). Previously, at the 14th Asian Championship in Doha, India finished fourth. China led the medal tally in Changwon, accumulating 78 medals (35 gold, 20 silver, and 23 bronze).

With the largest contingent in its history, India aims to surpass China and achieve its best-ever results in the Asian Shooting Championships, which commenced in 1967 in Tokyo, Japan.

The event will feature competitions in individual, team, and mixed team formats across all three disciplines, each with unique entry codes.

A total of 182 Indian shooters, the championship’s largest contingent, will participate in 58 medal events, comprising 46 individual and 12 mixed team events across various categories and disciplines. Indian shooters will also compete for team medals in all 46 individual events, depending on the number of entries.

While many competitors will focus on Olympic events, several will also aim for victory in non-Olympic events such as Centre-Fire, Standard and Free Pistol, Prone in Rifle, and Double-Trap in Shotgun.

The Asian championship has long represented a struggle for continental supremacy, with China being the primary contender. Over the years, India has made significant progress, making the battle for the top spot a contest between the two nations.

Hosting the event, Kazakhstan features the second-largest contingent with 111 entries, followed by Korea (70), China (41), Iran (29), Chinese Taipei (24), and Vietnam (20), all of which present formidable teams. Challenging competition is also anticipated from Middle Eastern shooters, especially in the Shotgun discipline.

The entry code:

Seniors (Individual): Five athletes per National Olympic Committee (NOC), with three registered to compete for medals.

Juniors (Individual): Six athletes per NOC, with the top three qualification ranks entering the finals for medals (two athletes must be <=18 years as of Dec 31, 2025).

Youth (Individual): Entries managed by the Organizing Committee (athletes must be <=18 years as of Dec 31, 2025).

Mixed Team: Two teams per event, with only the highest-ranked team in qualification competing for medals. Two bronze medals will be awarded after two bronze medal matches (Rank 3 vs. Rank 5 & Rank 4 vs. Rank 6).

Team: One team of three members per event, with the combined results determining medal standings.