Sonam Uttam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon clinch bronze in 10m Air Rifle mixed team at ISSF World Cup 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 in Hangzhou, China, adding another podium finish to India's campaign.
Both Indian teams delivered strong performances in the qualification round to advance to the final. Sonam Uttam Maskar (317.2) and Himanshu Dhillon (317.4) combined for an aggregate qualification score of 634.6, according to a release.
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 achievement, Sonam Uttam Maskar 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 Dhillon 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."
The podium finish marks another milestone for 23-year-old Sonam Uttam Maskar from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. 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, the release said.
For 20-year-old Himanshu Dhillon from Jind, Haryana, 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).
— ANI
Reader Comments
So good to see Himanshu winning his first senior World Cup medal at just 20! The future of Indian shooting looks really bright. Hope the government and sponsors continue supporting these athletes properly—they deserve every bit of recognition. 🙏🏽
Another medal for India! 🎉 This is fantastic. But I hope our shooters can convert these strong qualifications into gold more often—we lost to both Chinese teams in the final. Nothing wrong with bronze, but we need to bridge the gap against China in big events. Keep working hard, team India!
Sonam Uttam Maskar is such an inspiration for young girls from smaller towns! Kolhapur to World Cup podium—what a journey. And Himanshu's maturity at 20 is incredible. Shooting is becoming our strength sport now, after cricket. 🇮🇳
To be honest, our shooting infrastructure has improved massively but we still need more academies in rural areas. Imagine how many more talents like Sonam and Himanshu are waiting to be discovered! Kudos to their coaches and families. And well done to Elavenil and Parth too for finishing 4th—keep pushing! 💪🏽
So proud! 😊 Himanshu from Jind and Sonam from Kolhapur—both from non-metro cities showing the world what Indian talent can do. The bronze is well deserved. I just wish more people followed shooting as a sport instead of just cricket. Every medal in Hangzhou is a story of dedication! 🇮🇳🏅
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