Sonam and Himanshu clinch bronze in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team at ISSF WC in Hangzhou
Hangzhou, July 28
Indian rifle shooters Sonam Uttam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon secured the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ongoing ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun, adding another podium finish to India's campaign.
Both Indian teams delivered strong performances in the qualification round to advance to the final. Sonam (317.2) and Himanshu (317.4) combined for an aggregate qualification score of 634.6 points.
Meanwhile, the pair of Elavenil Valarivan (316.8) and Parth Rakesh Mane (317.4) qualified right behind them with a total score of 634.2.
In the final, Sonam and Himanshu produced a composed performance to combine for 441.2 points (220.6 each), securing the bronze medal behind China 1 and China 2. Elavenil and Parth finished fourth with a final score of 378.8 (Elavenil: 190.5, Parth: 188.3).
Reflecting on the medal win, Sonam said, "It was a tough competition, and the overall experience was very good. Winning a medal is always important because it gives us confidence for the assignments ahead. Experience matters more than anything, and this performance will motivate us as we prepare for the Asian Games and the World Championships later this season."
Making his first-ever senior ISSF World Cup final appearance, Himanshu added, "It was a great experience competing in my first senior World Cup final. I believed in myself, trusted my coach's guidance and relied on my strengths. I've competed in many junior finals, but winning my first senior World Cup medal makes this achievement very special."
Sonam previously won silver medals at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo and the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi in 2024, alongside a fifth-place finish at the ISSF World Cup Granada, cementing her reputation as one of India's top rifle shooters.
For 20-year-old Himanshu, the bronze medal represents his maiden senior ISSF World Cup podium. Himanshu previously won gold in the 10m Air Rifle Men Junior event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in New Delhi in 2025 before adding another gold at the Asian Shooting Championships.
The bronze medal takes India's overall tally at the ISSF World Cup Hangzhou to four medals (1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze).
— IANS
Reader Comments
Wonderful to see our shooters consistently performing at world level 👏 However, I wish we could have challenged the Chinese team for gold. Need to work on pressure situations and mental conditioning in finals. Still, a bronze at World Cup is nothing to scoff at! 🇮🇳
Impressive consistency from Sonam and Himanshu! The combined score of 441.2 in the final shows great composure. India's shooting program is clearly producing results at all levels. Looking forward to seeing these athletes at the Asian Games!
Himanshu Dhillon - what a performance for a 20-year-old making his senior World Cup final debut! From junior world champion to senior bronze medalist, this boy has a bright future. Sonam's experience was crucial too. Well done team India! 🥉
Great to see India building depth in shooting. Two teams in the top four shows the system is working. That narrow miss for Elavenil and Parth must sting though - 378.8 in fourth is still commendable. More medals to come at Asian Games! 💪
Love seeing young shooters from tier-2 cities making their mark! Himanshu's journey from junior to senior level is inspiring. The fact that we can field two competitive teams in mixed events shows India's shooting depth. Kudos to Sports Authority of India and coaches! 🙏
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