How a faulty button robbed Aishwary Pratap Singh of her Asian Games shooting medal

Aishwary Pratap Singh was in the hunt for an individual medal at the Asian Games when a technical glitch in his firing station suddenly turned the tide against him. The Indian shooter did well in the final leg of the 50m Rifle 3-Position Kneeling to place around fourth or fifth within striking distance of the podium.

The problem came when he moved to his stomach and started shooting with the scope. His grappling button malfunctioned, forcing him to turn away from the line of fire and seek the referee’s intervention. The interruption disrupted the rhythm of the shooter, who had been firmly in contention until then.

“My kneeling shot was good and the score was also good. I think I was in fourth or fifth place. But when I started to shoot on my belly and started shooting from the target, my match button failed and I had trouble pressing it, so I had to turn around and inform the match referee that it was not working properly,” said Aishwary.

Asian Games, September 25 Highlights

The primer button is an electronic control at the firing station that helps the shooter communicate with the range system when transitioning from sight shots to official attempts. Sights are test shots used to assess conditions prior to the start of a scoring series.

For Aishwary, the problem went beyond the equipment itself. In the short final, a sudden lapse in concentration came at a moment when it was crucial to keep a level head.

“A final match is 22 minutes and you have to make so many shots, then there is pressure and so many thoughts. In the middle of all that, if your mind gets agitated or wavers……,” he said.

POINTS THAT WASHED

The effect of the interruption was most noticeable in Aishwary’s belly series. He shot 102.9, a score he believed to be well below his potential had the suspension not occurred.

“I had to turn around to tell the judge and that affected my belly score. They (the score) took a massive hit because I was shooting a 102.9 streak. If I hadn’t gotten stuck in that problem, I would have easily had a 104.0 streak or more,” he said.

The lost points pushed the 25-year-old down the rankings and left him with little room for error. Although he managed to perform better in the standing position, an 8.9 further dented his hopes. Aishwary was eventually eliminated in the 32nd shootout of the 35-shot final to finish fifth, while the Chinese Olympic medalists took the top two spots.

He was left with team silver as consolation, but given his record at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, the individual result was particularly disappointing.

FROM FOUR MEDALS TO ONE SILVER

Aishwary returned from Hangzhou with four medals – gold in the 50m 3-position team event, gold in the 10m air rifle team event, individual silver in the 50m 3-position event and individual bronze in the 10m air rifle event.

This time his medal came only in the team competition.

“Yes, a bit disappointing. Last time I won four medals and this time I’m going home with only one team medal. So it’s a bit disappointing,” he said.

There is little time for the Indian batsman to dwell on Friday’s disappointment. His focus now shifts to the World Cup and then India’s quest for Olympic quota.

For Aishwary, securing this quota is more than a personal qualification. It’s an opportunity to contribute to India’s Olympic campaign in the sport, where the world’s top shooters will compete for limited spots.

A faulty button may have cost him a chance at another individual medal at the Asian Games, but Aishwary’s season still has a significant goal ahead of it. His response will now be measured not by the interruption that derailed one final, but by how quickly he can move forward from it.

– The end