Indian shooters Manu Bhaker and Suruchi Inder Singh faced a challenging day at the ISSF World Championships in Doha on Thursday. Both athletes failed to secure a podium finish or a coveted 2028 Los Angeles Olympic quota in the women’s 10m air pistol event. Despite high expectations surrounding their participation, the duo finished outside the medal positions in the final. This result extends India’s current wait for an individual medal and an Olympic quota place at the prestigious shooting tournament.
- Manu Bhaker finished in fifth place with a total score of 179.9 points.
- Suruchi Inder Singh ended the competition in sixth position with 158.3 points.
- China dominated the event, with Jiang Ranxin taking gold and Yao Qianxun securing silver.
- Hungary’s Veronika Major claimed the bronze medal to round out the top three finishers.
Final Performance and Team Consolation
The final proved difficult for the Indian contingent as both shooters struggled to maintain consistency. Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic bronze medallist, saw her scores fluctuate between 8.8 and 10.7 throughout the final round. She was eventually eliminated after the 18th shot. Meanwhile, Suruchi Singh faced similar challenges, recording several shots in the 8s and 9s before bowing out after the 16th shot.
However, there was a minor consolation for the team in the broader competition standings. Manu Bhaker, Suruchi Singh, and teammate Sainyam combined their efforts to secure a silver medal in the team event. India finished with a total of 1,738 points, trailing behind the gold-winning Chinese team, which posted 1,745 points. This team medal, while significant, does not provide any Olympic quota places for the upcoming games.
Context of the Olympic Qualification
The ISSF World Championships in Doha represent the first major international competition offering individual quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Because of this, the pressure on top-tier athletes like Manu Bhaker was immense from the start. She had previously shown strong form in the qualification round, finishing third with a score of 583 to reach the final. Suruchi Singh also performed well in the qualifiers, scraping into the eight-shooter final in eighth place with a score of 580.
Despite these promising qualification performances, the final stage proved to be a hurdle the Indian shooters could not overcome. The team remains focused on future events to secure their spots for the next Olympic cycle. As it stands, India is still searching for its first individual medal and Olympic quota in an Olympic discipline at this specific World Championship event.
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