India Creates History at 16th Asian Shooting Championship with Record 50 Gold Medals

India achieved an unprecedented milestone at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, capturing 50 gold medals to top the medal tally for the first time in the championship’s history. The Indian contingent’s remarkable performance from August 16-30, 2025, resulted in a total haul of 99 medals, including 26 silver and 23 bronze medals, marking the country’s most successful campaign ever at the prestigious continental competition.

Indian shooting team celebrating historic 50 gold medals at 16th Asian Shooting Championship

Historic Achievement Breakdown

India’s dominance was evident across all categories, with the senior team securing 6 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze medals in Olympic events spanning rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines. The junior shooters delivered an outstanding performance with 10 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals in Olympic events alone, demonstrating the depth of India’s shooting talent pipeline.

The remaining gold medals came from youth competitions, team events, and non-Olympic categories, showcasing India’s comprehensive excellence across all shooting disciplines and age groups. This achievement represents a 35-medal improvement from India’s previous best performance at the 15th Asian Championships in Changwon, South Korea.

Outstanding Individual Performances

Ankur Mittal produced the championship’s most spectacular performance, setting a new world record of 107 hits in the men’s double trap event on the final day, finishing well ahead of Kazakhstan’s Artyom Chikulayev (98) and Kuwait’s Ahmad Alaffasi (96).

Elavenil Valarivan claimed her second Asian title in women’s air rifle with an Asian record score of 253.6, and partnered with Arjun Babuta to win gold in the mixed team 10m air rifle event, defeating China 17-11 in the final.

Neeru Dhanda made history by securing India’s first-ever Asian championship gold in women’s trap, while Sift Kaur Samra claimed her first Asian title in women’s 50m rifle 3-position. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar successfully defended his men’s 50m rifle 3-position title with a score of 462.5.

Senior Team Excellence

Rio Olympian Gurpreet Singh demonstrated his experience by securing gold in the men’s 25m standard pistol event, shooting a total of 572 with 18 inner tens to pip compatriot Amanpreet Singh for the title. The duo, along with Harsh Gupta, combined for the team gold with 1709 points.

Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu led India’s charge in the 25m centre fire pistol, tallying 583 points to edge out Republic of Korea’s Lee Jaekyoon and Iran’s Javad Foroughi. Paris Olympics bronze medalist Manu Bhaker contributed three bronze medals, including one individual medal in the women’s 10m air pistol.

Team Composition and Strategy

The Indian senior shooting squad comprised 35 members competing across 15 events, while an additional 129 Indian shooters participated in junior competitions. This comprehensive participation strategy across all age categories contributed significantly to India’s record medal haul.

Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), attributed the success to the boosted confidence following India’s performance at the Paris Olympics, stating that “the confidence of the shooting ecosystem is sky-high”.

Final Medal Standings

India topped the championship with their 50 gold medals, while host nation Kazakhstan finished second with 21 gold medals and 70 total medals. China placed third with 15 gold medals and 30 total medals, followed by South Korea with 12 gold and 55 total medals.

The comprehensive nature of India’s victory was particularly notable given that China and South Korea had limited participation in youth and junior events, making India’s dominance across all categories even more impressive.

Strategic Implications

This historic performance positions India as a dominant force in Asian shooting sports and provides significant momentum for upcoming international competitions, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The depth of talent demonstrated across youth, junior, and senior categories suggests a bright future for Indian shooting sports.

The success at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship represents not just individual excellence but a systematic approach to developing shooting talent across all disciplines and age groups, establishing India as the new powerhouse in continental shooting competitions.