India's Esha Singh beats Olympian Manu Bhaker to win ISSF World Cup in 25m pistol event

Indian shooter Esha Singh delivered a stellar performance to win the gold medal in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou on Monday. The 21-year-old held her composure in a high-stakes final, recording 40 hits to claim top honors. Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker secured the bronze medal with 28 hits after surviving a tense shoot-off, completing a double podium finish for India.

India dominated early in the qualification stage, where Manu topped the standings with 586-20x and Esha followed closely behind with 585-18x. Former Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat also performed solidly with 582-16x, alongside notable performances from Simranpreet Kaur Brar and Abhidnya Ashok Patil under Ranking Points Only status. However, in the final round, Esha pulled ahead of the field to secure her latest international victory following her record-setting showing in Munich.

Reflecting on her victory, Esha acknowledged overcoming mental pressure and expectations after her world-record performance earlier this season. She expressed delight in returning to Hangzhou, a venue where she previously won four medals during the 2023 Asian Games. Meanwhile, Manu highlighted the positive takeaways from her bronze win, viewing the competitive match experience as a crucial stepping stone ahead of major upcoming assignments like the World Championships and Asian Games.