Esha Singh beat Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker to win the World Championship gold

Esha Singh continued to establish herself as one of India’s brightest shooting stars by pipping Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker to the women’s 25m pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Championships in Hangzhou on Monday. The 21-year-old held her nerve in a high-quality final to place on the podium as Manu cruised to bronze as India celebrated a memorable double podium finish.

The result was yet another reminder of the enviable depth of India’s women’s pistol shooting. Just weeks after rewriting the record books in Munich, Esha once again delivered when it mattered most, overcoming the pressure of expectations to claim another World Cup title. Meanwhile, Manu showed her typical resilience, surviving a tense shootout to finish on the podium and continue to build momentum ahead of the World Championships and Asian Games.

India had already asserted their authority during the qualifiers, with Manu leading the field on 586-20x and Esha finishing just one point back on 585-18x to book their places in the eight-shooter final. Former Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat also impressed with 582-16x while Simranpreet Kaur Brar and Abhidnya Ashok Patil put in solid performances as they competed under Ranking Points Only (RPO) status.

However, when it came to the medals, it was Esha who stood tall. She remained consistent throughout the final, recording 40 hits to seal the gold medal. After winning a crucial shootout to stay alive in the competition, Manu eventually finished with 28 hits to add another World Cup medal to her growing collection.

ESHA THRIVES IN WAITING

Esha, who earlier this season already set both the senior and junior world records with 43 hits at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, admitted the challenge in Hangzhou was as much mental as technical. With success came greater expectations, but the Hyderabad shooter was happy to overcome that burden.

“This match was very challenging for me because of the previous medal that I had. The better you get at your event, the more you feel the weight of prestige that you have to overcome. I’m happy that I was able to overcome it today and I’m grateful that I had the ability to endure it.”

Competing again in Hangzhou also brought back happy memories for Eshe, who won four medals at the 2023 Asian Games at the same venue.

“I really enjoy competing here in Hangzhou. Remembering how the competition was during the Asian Games, where I won four medals, I was really excited to come back here. Being familiar with the range, the lighting and the atmosphere in the final hall definitely counted in my favor.”

MANU TAKES POSITIVES DESPITE MISSING GOLD

Although Manu did not reach the top step, she believed that the bronze medal offered more than just another addition to her medal tally. The two-time Olympic medalist from Paris said the competition provided valuable clarity ahead of a busy international season.

“This medal is very important because it acts as a stepping stone. It gives me clarity about what works and what direction I want to go in.”

Looking ahead, Manu said the experience of competing in a high-pressure final will be invaluable.

“While the medal certainly boosts my confidence, the experience I gained from this competitive match will help me even more as we look ahead to big tasks like the World Championships and the Asian Games.”

The gold medal continued Esha’s impressive run this season after her record-breaking performance in Munich, while Manu added another podium finish as she progressed towards the World Championships and Asian Games.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

27 Jul 2026 14:35 IST