Hangzhou: Indian shooters delivered a memorable performance at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou on Monday, with Esha Singh winning the gold medal and Manu Bhaker finishing with bronze in the women's 25m pistol event.

The 21-year-old Esha Singh produced a strong performance in the final, recording 40 successful hits to claim the top position. Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist from the Paris 2024 Games, fought through a competitive field and secured third place with 28 hits after winning a crucial shoot-off.

The result gave India a double podium finish in the event, highlighting the country's growing strength in shooting sports.

Manu tops qualification, Esha follows closely

The Indian shooters had already made a strong start in the qualification round.

Manu Bhaker finished at the top of the qualification standings with an impressive score of 586-20x, while Esha Singh followed closely in second place with 585-18x. Both shooters comfortably secured their places in the eight-shooter final.

Former Asian Games gold medallist Rahi Sarnobat also put up a strong performance, scoring 582-16x. Simranpreet Kaur Brar and Abhidnya Ashok Patil competed under Ranking Points Only (RPO) status and recorded scores of 576-20x and 573-16x respectively.

Esha Singh overcomes pressure to win gold

Speaking after her victory, Esha Singh said the final was challenging because of the expectations that came after her previous success.

She said the pressure increased as she continued to perform well at the international level but expressed happiness at being able to handle the challenge.

Esha also recalled her previous success in Hangzhou during the Asian Games, where she won four medals. She said familiarity with the shooting range, lighting and final hall atmosphere helped her during the competition.

Earlier this season at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Esha created history by setting senior and junior world records after scoring 43 hits in the final.

Manu Bhaker sees bronze as a step forward

Manu Bhaker said the bronze medal was important as it provided clarity about her preparation and helped her understand areas of improvement ahead of major competitions.

She described the medal as a confidence boost and said the experience gained from competing in a high-pressure final would help her prepare for upcoming events, including the World Championships and Asian Games.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker for their performances at the ISSF World Cup.

In a post on X, he praised both shooters for winning gold and bronze medals and said the nation was proud of their achievements.

The double podium finish further strengthens India's position in international shooting competitions, with Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker continuing to emerge as leading names in Indian shooting.

With PTI inputs