National Shooting Selection Trials: Tilottama Sen, Shahu Tushar Mane, Vijayveer Sidhu Claim Gold

After an impressive showing in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions events earlier this week, Tilottama Sen carried her momentum forward at the National Selection Trials 1&2 (Group A), clinching the top spot in the 10m Air Rifle Women (ARW) Trial 1 at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range on Thursday. Railways' Shahu Tushar Mane topped the men's 10m Air Rifle event, while Olympian Vijayveer Sidhu claimed gold in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol T2 final.

The Junior National Champion in ARW produced a standout performance under pressure, mounting a remarkable comeback in the final. Sen had scraped into the final as the eighth and last qualifier with a score of 630.8, but showed exceptional composure to rise steadily through the field and finish on top with a winning

score of 253.4.

Railways' Sonam Uttam Maskar, who qualified fifth with 631.2, pushed Sen close in the final before settling for silver with 252.8. Madhya Pradesh's Nupur Kumrawat claimed bronze, finishing third with 230.5 after qualifying on the same score of 631.2.

Top qualifier Shruti of Haryana, who led the qualification round with 633.2, was unable to convert that advantage and finished fifth with 187.9. Maharashtra's Isha Anil Taksale (631.1) ended fourth with 209.0, while R Narmada Nithin placed sixth with 166.2 after qualifying with 631. Railways' Mehuli Ghosh finished seventh with 145.3 despite a strong qualification score of 632.0, and Maharashtra's Arya Rajesh Borse rounded off the finalists in eighth with 123.7 (632.9).

Shahu Tushar Mane tops 10m Air Rifle Men (T1)

In the men's 10m Air Rifle T1 final, Railways' Shahu Tushar Mane emerged on top with a score of 253.9. Mane, who qualified fifth with 632.6, built momentum steadily in a tightly contested final. Haryana's Arshdeep Singh took silver with 251.1, while Maharashtra's Parth Rakesh Mane finished third with 230.5 after qualifying fourth with 632.9. Haryana's Samarvir Singh narrowly missed the podium, ending fourth with 209.2.

Olympian Arjun Babuta, who topped qualification with an impressive 635.1, could not replicate that form in the final and finished sixth with 166.4. Maharashtra's Gajanan Shahadev Khandagale placed fifth with 187.7 after qualifying second with 633.3. Rudrankksh B. Patil of Maharashtra (144.5) and Himachal Pradesh's Surya Pratap Singh Banshtu (123.5) finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Vijayveer Sidhu wins 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men (T2)

Olympian Vijayveer Sidhu produced a clinical display in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men T2 final, shooting 31 hits to secure gold. National champion Suraj Sharma, who had topped qualification with 588-22x, finished second with 29 hits.

Punjab's Udhayveer Sidhu completed the podium with 25 hits in the final. He had earlier qualified second with 585-20x, while Vijayveer entered the final in fifth place with 579-19x.

World Championship silver medallist Anish Bhanwala finished fifth with 15 hits after qualifying third with 582-24x, behind Navy's Omkar Singh, who recorded 18 hits. Uttarakhand's Ankur Goel (9) and Army shooter Neeraj Kumar (5) completed the final lineup, while Pradeep Singh Shekhawat did not start the final despite qualifying fourth with 581-19x.

The National Selection Trials 1&2 continue on Friday (January 23, 2026), with finals scheduled for 10m Air Rifle Women (T2), 10m Air Rifle Men (T2), and the 25m Pistol Women T2 event.