How Did India's Consistent Final Appearances and Two Gold Medals Propel Them to a Strong Finish in Munich?

New Delhi, June 16 (NationPress) A remarkable series of consistent final appearances and two exceptional gold medal performances enabled India to achieve a commendable and strong third-place finish at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup (Rifle/Pistol) held in Munich 2025. This outstanding performance took place at one of the most competitive and popular events in the realm of international rifle and pistol shooting.

Conducted at the iconic Olympic Shooting range from June 8-15, the Munich World Cup marked India's third top-three finish this year across four world cups, with a tally of two gold and two bronze medals. The nation not only advanced from a joint third position last year to a sole third this year but also doubled its medal count, particularly the gold count, from the previous year’s Munich World Cup.

“The Munich World Cup, a staple in the International Shooting calendar hosted at the prestigious Olympic Shooting range, which was the venue for the 1972 Munich Olympics, has once again showcased the talent of our rifle and pistol shooters,” expressed a delighted K. Sultan Singh, Secretary General of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

“While many speculated, and rightly so, that India would face significant challenges due to the vast field, the quality of competition, and the absence of some top performers, our athletes have demonstrated that the depth in Indian shooting is more formidable than ever. On behalf of the NRAI, I extend my congratulations to the entire squad, including coaches and support staff, for their remarkable achievements, not just in Munich but throughout the year,” he stated in a release on Monday.

The highlight for India at Munich this year, and throughout this entire international season, has been the impressive consistency of rising women’s pistol star Suruchi Phogat.

The Haryana teenager achieved an unprecedented third consecutive individual ISSF World Cup stage gold in the women’s 10m air pistol (APW), and also performed admirably at Buenos Aires on her World Cup debut, a feat unmatched by any Indian athlete, male or female.

Another standout was the duo of Arya Rajesh Borse and Olympian Arjun Babuta, who secured a convincing victory over the Chinese world record holders Sheng Lihao and Wang Zifei, the latter also an Olympic champion, in the 10m air rifle mixed team final, where they decisively outperformed the formidable Chinese pair with a score of 17-7.

Through a series of impressive high scores, they highlighted the depth and newfound confidence of Indian shooting like never before.

Elavenil Valarivan (women’s 10m air rifle-arw), a two-time Olympian, and Sift Kaur Samra (50m rifle 3 positions women-3P), Olympian and world record holder, also reinforced their status as some of the world’s top shooters with their bronze-winning performances in Munich.

Ela set a new national record in the qualification series with a score of 635.9 en route to her bronze, while Suruchi matched Manu Bhaker’s qualifications national record of 588 in the women's air pistol.

Continuing the trend this year, Indian World Cup debutants, numbering three in Munich, also delivered commendable performances against world-class competition.

Ananya Naidu (arw) shot a solid 632.4, finishing 13th among contenders. Nishant Rawat (10m air pistol men-apm) and Aditya Malra (apm) also scored 582 and 578, finishing 10th and 27th respectively.

India reached a total of seven finals in the ten events held in Munich, with Manu Bhaker (women’s 25m pistol), Varun Tomar (men’s 10m air pistol), and Chain Singh (men’s 3P) finishing sixth (both Manu and Varun) and seventh, respectively, underscoring India’s strength in the sport.

China topped the medal standings with seven medals, including four gold, while Norway narrowly edged India to second based on having secured a silver medal despite having the same number of golds and total medals as India.

A total of 11 nations, including the individual neutral athletes group, secured medals in Munich. The ISSF circuit is set to move to Lonato Del Garda in Italy next month for the year’s fourth Shotgun World Cup stage, with the fourth and final Rifle/Pistol World Cup scheduled for Ningbo in China in September.