Indian shooter Esha Singh added a shimmering chapter to her growing career at the ISSF World Cup in Ningbo, China, as she claimed gold in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol event in one of the closest finals of the season.
A Steady Display of Grit
Qualifying for the finals was no mean feat. Singh secured her spot with a score of 578 (16x) in the qualifiers, placing just within the cut. Her compatriot, Rhythm Sangwan, also made it to the finals from India.
In the final, Esha showed composure under pressure. After beginning strong and holding a lead in the early stages, she came under serious challenge from China’s Yao Qianxun. With scores that fluctuated slightly, the match came down to a razor-thin margin. On the very last shot, Esha fired a 10.5, edging out Yao’s 10.4 to finish with a cumulative final score of 242.6 to Yao’s 242.5.
Significance of the Win
First individual World Cup gold: Though Esha has tasted podium finishes before (including silvers), this marks her first individual ISSF World Cup victory, a major milestone.
Boosting India’s medal tally: This win broke India’s medal drought at the Ningbo meet and ignited hopes for more in the final events.
Mental toughness: Facing Olympic champions and top contenders, Esha’s focus held even when her lead looked threatened. Her ability to respond to lower scores and maintain consistency was key.
What Next
With this confidence-boosting win under her belt, Esha Singh will be eyeing more strong performances in upcoming competitions. The Olympic qualification cycles and ISSF ranking points gained here will be valuable. Her challenge will be to maintain this level amidst tough competition and to replicate such clutch performances in major events.
