Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar clinched the gold medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event 2023 at the Asian Shooting Championship 2023. Tomar’s impressive score of 463.5 in the final secured the top spot, making him the most successful Indian shooter at the event.
Tian Jiaming Claims Silver, Du Linshu Takes Bronze
Tian Jiaming from the People’s Republic of China secured the silver medal with a score of 462.7, while his fellow countrymen Du Linshu clinched the bronze medal with 450.3 points.
Team Effort in the Qualification Round
During the qualification round, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar was the only Indian shooter to secure a place in the top eight, finishing in fifth place with a score of 591. His teammates, Akhil Sheoran and Swapnil Kusale, contributed to India’s success by achieving ninth and eleventh positions with scores of 587 and 586, respectively. This collective effort resulted in the Indian team winning the silver medal in the team event.
India’s Success in the Asian Shooting Championships
The Asian Shooting Championships 2023 proved to be a significant event for Indian shooting sports. The senior Indian shooters’ exceptional performances contributed to India’s total medal count of 55, including 21 gold, 21 silver, and 13 bronze medals. In comparison, China emerged as the leading nation with 76 medals, including 33 gold.
Securing Olympic Quotas
India’s successful outing at the championship also meant the acquisition of valuable Olympic quotas. Notable Indian shooters such as Shriyanka Sadangi, Anish Bhanwala, Manu Bhaker, Arjun Babuta, Tilottama Sen, and Sarabjot Singh secured Paris Olympics quotas, contributing to India’s overall tally of 13 Olympic quotas in shooting for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Road to Paris 2024
While securing an Olympic quota is a significant achievement, the ultimate decision on athlete participation at the Paris Games lies with the respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Athletes who have secured quotas for India will eagerly await their NOCs’ selections for representation at Paris 2024. To incentivize these athletes further, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has announced a bonus point in the national trials scheduled for the next year.