Highlights of India's Day at ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol: Divya's Fourth and Gajanan's Fifth

Synopsis

India's shooting stars shine at the ISSF World Cup in Granada, with Divya T.S. narrowly missing a medal in the women's 25m pistol and Gajanan Khandagale making a remarkable debut in the men's 10m air rifle. Discover the key moments from this thrilling day of competition.

Key Takeaways

Divya T.S. achieved a fourth place in women's 25m pistol.

Gajanan Khandagale finished fifth in men's 10m air rifle on debut.

Rhythm Sangwan placed seventh in women's 25m pistol.

Anjum Moudgil led in women's 50m rifle 3 positions with 592 .

The women's 3P final is a highlight event on Friday.

New Delhi, April 9 (NationPress) Divya T.S. achieved an impressive fourth place in the women's 25m pistol event, while Gajanan Khandagale secured a commendable fifth place on his debut at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol event held at the Las Gabias Shooting Range in Granada, Spain, on Thursday.

Divya scored 28 in her third individual World Cup final, narrowly missing out on a medal, while Gajanan concluded with a score of 187.5 in the men’s air rifle final. Rhythm Sangwan also participated in the women’s 25m pistol, finishing in seventh place.

Gold was clinched by China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan, a bronze medallist from the Tokyo Olympics, after a thrilling shoot-off against her compatriot and debutant Kong Jieru, who both ended with 39 hits following the main 10-series of five rapid-fire shots. Camille Jedrzejewski, a bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics, outperformed Divya for the bronze, finishing with 34 hits after the penultimate series.

Earlier in the qualifying round, Rhythm performed strongly, finishing fifth with a score of 586. Divya followed closely with a score of 585, securing the seventh qualifying position ahead of Poland’s Agata Nowak. World Cup Finals champion Simranpreet Kaur Brar ended in 30th place with a score of 575.

Gajanan Khandagale had a remarkable debut, qualifying for the final in second place with a score of 634.3, just 0.2 points behind Paris silver medallist Victor Lindgren of Sweden.

China's Olympic and world champion Sheng Lihao, who eventually took gold, qualified fourth with a score of 633.6. Arshdeep Singh ranked 21st with 629.5, while Dhanush Srikanth was 23rd with 629.2.

Gajanan stood out among six shooters in the final, competing valiantly in a high-caliber field before finishing after the 18th shot, just 0.1 behind Chinese talent Ma Sihan, who placed fourth.

Aleksa Rakonjac from Serbia earned silver and secured his first World Cup medal, while Lindgren claimed bronze despite being a seasoned world champion and Olympic medallist.

All three Indian shooters successfully advanced through the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) elimination relays, with Olympian Anjum Moudgil leading with a score of 592. Ayushi Podder shot 587 in the second relay, and Surabhi Bharadwaj Rapole scored 582, allowing 58 of 75 shooters to proceed to the main qualification round.

On Friday, the women’s 3P final will be the highlight of the day, as the Indian team aims to add more medals to their collection.

Point of View

While also setting the stage for future competitions.

NationPress

20 Jun 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the key highlights of India's performance at the ISSF World Cup?

Divya T.S. secured a fourth place in the women's 25m pistol, and Gajanan Khandagale finished fifth in the men's 10m air rifle on his debut.

Who won gold in the women's 25m pistol event?

Xiao Jiaruixuan from China won gold after a shoot-off against her compatriot Kong Jieru.

How did the Indian shooters perform in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions event?

Anjum Moudgil led with a score of 592, successfully advancing alongside her teammates Ayushi Podder and Surabhi Bharadwaj Rapole.