ISSF World Championship: Vivaan Kapoor wins trap silver, seals India's third LA28 quota
Synopsis
Vivaan Kapoor came agonisingly close to gold — losing a sudden-death shoot-off 2–3 to Kuwait — but the silver was enough to hand India its third quota slot for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With 13 medals and second place in the overall standings, India's shooting contingent in Doha is delivering one of the programme's strongest-ever World Championship runs.
Key Takeaways
Vivaan Kapoor won silver in the men's trap event at the ISSF World Championship in Doha on 12 November .
The medal secured India's third LA28 Olympic quota place , joining earlier quotas won by Jaypal Malviya (air pistol silver) and Niraj Kumar (50m rifle 3 positions bronze).
Vivaan lost the gold-medal shoot-off to Kuwait's Abdulrahman Alfaihan by 3–2 after finishing level at 29 hits .
Ankur Goel won individual silver (583-19x) and team bronze (1727-57x) in the men's 25m centre fire pistol.
India's total medal tally stands at 13 medals — 2 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze , placing them second in the overall standings behind China's 27 medals .
India narrowly missed a team trap medal, finishing fourth on countback despite tying Poland and Czechia on 354 .
Indian shooter Vivaan Kapoor clinched the silver medal in the men's trap event at the ISSF World Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Doha on Thursday, 12 November, securing India's third quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The achievement pushed India's overall medal tally at the ongoing championship to 13 medals, bolstered further by Ankur Goel's double podium success in the men's 25m centre fire pistol event.
How the Trap Final Unfolded
Competing at the Lusail Shooting Complex, Vivaan finished level with Kuwait's Abdulrahman Alfaihan at 29 hits in the final. In the subsequent sudden-death shoot-off, Alfaihan edged ahead, winning 3–2 to claim gold. China's Qi Ying secured bronze with 22 hits.
Vivaan had earlier qualified sixth from a dramatic seven-way tie at 120 out of 125 in the qualification round, posting scores of 25, 24, 24, 24 and 23. Teammate Udaivir Singh Jaijee, who matched the same card of 120, claimed the eighth and final qualifying berth via a sudden-death shoot-off, ultimately finishing sixth in the final with 11 hits.
India's Team Trap Heartbreak
The Indian trio of Vivaan Kapoor (120), Udaivir Singh Jaijee (120), and Zoravar Singh Sandhu (114) narrowly missed a team medal, finishing fourth with a combined score of 354 across five rounds (73, 68, 72, 72, 69). India tied on score with silver medallists Poland and bronze medallists Czechia but were relegated to fourth on countback due to a lower tally in the final round. Kuwait claimed team gold with 356.
Ankur Goel's Double Podium in Centre Fire Pistol
Ankur Goel delivered a standout individual performance in the men's 25m centre fire pistol, winning silver with an aggregate of 583-19x — posting 292 in the precision stage and 291 in the rapid stage. Latvia's Ernests Erbs claimed gold with 588-24x, while Czechia's Jindrich Dubovy took bronze with 582-26x.
Ankur then combined with Amanpreet Singh (ninth individually with 578-19x) and Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu (23rd with 566-19x) to win team bronze with an aggregate of 1727-57x. Ukraine took team gold with 1735-47x, followed by the Republic of Korea with silver at 1731-46x.
India's LA28 Quota Trail and Overall Standing
Vivaan's quota is India's third of the championship. Jaypal Malviya had earned the first on 5 November with silver in the men's 10m air pistol, while Niraj Kumar added the second with bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions on Wednesday. India now sit second in the overall medal standings with 13 medals — two gold, seven silver and four bronze. China lead with 27 medals (13 gold, six silver, eight bronze), and the Republic of Korea are third with 10 medals. With events still to conclude, India's quota and medal count could grow further.
Point of View
Rifle, trap) signal broader bench strength rather than reliance on a single star. The countback heartbreak in the team trap event, however, is a reminder that fine margins at the team level still need work. With the 2028 Games three years away, the pipeline is healthy, but converting quota places into podium finishes at the Olympics remains the harder, unfinished task.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Vivaan Kapoor achieve at the ISSF World Championship 2025?
Vivaan Kapoor won the silver medal in the men's trap event at the ISSF World Championship in Doha on 12 November, securing India's third quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He finished tied with Kuwait's Abdulrahman Alfaihan at 29 hits but lost the gold-medal shoot-off 2–3.
How many LA28 Olympic quotas has India secured at the Doha ISSF Championship?
India has secured three LA28 Olympic quotas so far at the Doha championship. Jaypal Malviya earned the first with silver in the men's 10m air pistol on 5 November, Niraj Kumar added the second with bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions on Wednesday, and Vivaan Kapoor clinched the third with his trap silver on Thursday.
What is India's overall medal tally at the ISSF World Championship in Doha?
India stands second in the overall medal standings with 13 medals — two gold, seven silver and four bronze. China lead the table with 27 medals, while the Republic of Korea are third with 10 medals.
How did Ankur Goel perform at the ISSF World Championship?
Ankur Goel won two medals on Thursday. He claimed individual silver in the men's 25m centre fire pistol with an aggregate of 583-19x and then partnered Amanpreet Singh and Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu to win team bronze with a combined score of 1727-57x.
Why did India miss a medal in the men's trap team event?
India finished fourth in the men's trap team event despite matching the scores of silver medallists Poland and bronze medallists Czechia at 354. They were placed fourth on countback because their score in the final round was lower than the other two nations. Kuwait won team gold with 356.
