Sport · India Bureau
Esha Singh claims silver in 25m pistol at Asian Games 2026
Indian shooter Esha Singh secured a silver medal in the women's 25m pistol event at the Asian Games, narrowly missing gold after a tense five-shoot-off battle. The world number one from Hyderabad finished second to China's Xiao Jiaruixuan, while fellow Indian Manu Bhaker exited without a medal.
LSN India ·
Esha Singh showcased nerves of steel in a grueling 25m pistol final at the Asian Games 2026, ultimately settling for silver after an extraordinary shooting contest that stretched to five consecutive shoot-offs. The 21-year-old from Hyderabad and reigning world number one came agonizingly close to gold, faltering on the final shot in her duel with China's Xiao Jiaruixuan. Both shooters had matched scores of 38 at the end of the regulation series, setting the stage for the dramatic shoot-off sequence.
Singh's journey through the medal round proved arduous, winning three shoot-offs to secure her place in contention before facing two additional sudden-death rounds in the gold medal clash. The eventual champion Xiao ultimately prevailed, denying Singh the top honour by a single shot. North Korea's Kim Hyon Suk claimed the bronze medal after losing a shoot-off to Singh, finishing with a score of 34.
The result marked a mixed day for Indian shooting at the Games. Two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker failed to advance to the final, finishing 11th with a qualification score of 579—insufficient to reach the medal round. Bhaker's early exit stood in sharp contrast to Singh's commanding qualification, where the younger shooter's score of 580 proved enough to secure the eighth and final berth in the final.