Cairo, Nov 10: In a landmark moment for Indian shooting, Samrat Rana etched his name into the history books by winning the men's 10m air pistol gold at the ISSF World Championships 2025 in Cairo on Monday (November 10).
The 20-year-old from Karnal became the first Indian pistol shooter in an Olympic discipline to be crowned world champion, a feat that also propelled India to the team gold in the same event.
Samrat's extraordinary final score of 243.7 edged out China's Hu Kai (243.3) in a gripping contest decided on the final shot. Fellow Indian Varun Tomar, a cousin of Olympian Saurabh Chaudhary, claimed the bronze with a score of 221.7, marking the first-ever double podium finish for India in an ISSF World Championship pistol event.
India's Medal Surge in Cairo
With three
gold, three silver, and three bronze medals, India climbed from fifth to third place in the overall standings. China continued to lead with six gold, four silver, and two bronze medals.
The trio of Samrat Rana (586), Varun Tomar (586), and Shravan Kumar (582) combined for a total of 1754 points to secure the team gold, ahead of Italy (1746) and Germany (1740).
Samrat's Journey: From Junior Success to Senior Glory
Trained by his father since 2018, Samrat has been a rising force in Indian shooting. A student of DAV College, Karnal, he had already made headlines at the junior level, winning two gold medals at the same venue during the 2022 Junior World Championships in team and mixed events.
He narrowly missed the ISSF World Cup Final qualification in Ningbo earlier this year but left nothing to chance this time, topping the qualification round with 586 points. His calm precision and consistency helped him hold off Hu Kai in a tense finish where the lead switched hands multiple times.
"It feels surreal. I worked really hard for this and am proud to bring home India's first-ever pistol world title in an Olympic event, Samrat said after his win.
Varun Tomar's Grit and Family Inspiration
Varun Tomar, from Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh, drew strength from his sporting lineage, being the cousin of shooter Saurabh Chaudhary. Coached initially in their village of Benoli, Varun later moved to the National Centre of Excellence, Karni Singh Ranges, Delhi.
His father, Vishesh Tomar, expressed immense pride: "I always told Varun to follow his passion. His discipline and work ethic have finally paid off.
Mixed Fortunes for India's Women Shooters
In contrast to the men's heroics, India's top women's pistol shooters Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh endured heartbreak in the women's 10m air pistol final. Despite promising starts, both missed the podium.
Manu, a double Olympic medallist, slipped from first to seventh after a costly 8.8 on her 14th shot, finishing with 139.5. Esha Singh, who had been in top form after her World Cup gold in Ningbo, faltered with an 8.4 on the same shot to finish sixth. Suruchi Inder Singh, the world No.1, ended 14th in qualification with 577 points.
The trio, however, secured a team silver with a combined total of 1740 points.
India's Rising Dominance in Shooting
Samrat Rana's golden moment signals a new era in Indian shooting - one marked by the rise of fearless young athletes. With multiple medals across pistol and rifle events, India's consistency at the world level continues to strengthen its Olympic prospects for Los Angeles 2028.
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