Image Source: Sambad English
India concluded its campaign at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, on August 29, 2025, with an unprecedented haul of 50 gold medals, marking the country's best-ever performance in the continental event. This record-breaking achievement reflects the depth, talent, and rising dominance of Indian shooters across multiple disciplines and age categories.
Key Highlights of India’s Performance
India amassed a total of 50 golds, complemented by 26 silver and 23 bronze medals, tallying 99 medals overall—the highest in the history of the Asian Shooting Championship.
The Indian senior team shone particularly in Olympic shooting events, securing six gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in rifle, pistol, and shotgun categories.
Despite finishing behind China, which earned eight gold medals in Olympic events, India’s overall medal count surpassed all past records decisively.
The junior and youth shooters played a pivotal role, contributing extensively to the gold medal tally, signaling a robust shooting ecosystem and promising pipeline of talent.
Shooters like Gurpreet Singh emerged as standout performers; he clinched the men’s 25m standard pistol individual gold and teamed up with Amanpreet Singh and Harsh Gupta to win the team title.
Ankur Mittal set a new world record in the men’s double trap event with 107 hits, earning gold and highlighting India’s excellence in shotgun disciplines.
Sift Kaur Samra captured gold in the 50m rifle 3 positions event, narrowly edging out China’s Yang Yujie, and also contributed to India winning the team title in this discipline.
Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta dominated the 10m air rifle mixed team final by defeating China 17-11 to secure gold.
India narrowly missed bronze in the men’s 50m rifle prone team event, finishing fourth but demonstrating competitive consistency.
The Indian shooting contingent comprised 35 senior shooters competing across 15 events, complemented by 129 juniors participating in various categories.
Significance of the Achievement
This achievement underscores the significant boost Indian shooting received from the country’s strong showing at the recent Paris Olympics and extensive focus on training and infrastructure.
Indian shooting is now recognized as a powerhouse in Asia with sustained excellence over multiple editions of the championship, confirming its rise as a global contender.
National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo lauded the performance, emphasizing the high confidence in the shooting ecosystem and the bright future signified by junior shooters’ success.
Future Implications and Outlook
The championship’s success boosts India’s morale and prospects as it prepares for upcoming international events including the 2026 Asian Games and 2028 Paris Olympics.
Continued investments in coaching, sports science, and youth development are expected to sustain this upward trajectory.
Indian shooters’ growing stature is anticipated to spur wider interest and participation in shooting sports domestically.
Conclusion
India’s outstanding feat of securing 50 gold medals at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship at Shymkent not only sets a new benchmark in continental shooting but also heralds a new era of dominance and promise. With both seasoned veterans and emerging young athletes contributing to this historic performance, Indian shooting is poised for even greater success on the world stage.
Sources: Olympics.com, Hindustan Times, Times of India, NDTV, ISSF
Advertisement
Advertisement
