Young Indian shooters Sarabjot Singh and Divya TS secured the silver in the 10m Air Pistol mixed final after losing 14-16 to China's Bowen Zhang and Ranxin Jiang at the Asian Games on Saturday, September 30. Birthday boy Sarabjot and his teammate Divya were leading 11-7 but eventually were unable to lead India to the gold medal.
Before the Chinese pair decided to call a timeout, the Indian duo had established a four-point lead, altering the dynamics of the game. Subsequently, in series 12, China managed to take the lead. The match ultimately reached its conclusion in the final round, during which Sarbajot's shot missed the mark compared to the others, resulting in China securing the victory.
In the 2023 Asian Games hosted in Hangzhou, China, India's shooting team made an impressive recovery following a disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics. The squad clinched a total of 19 medals, comprising six golds, eight silvers, and five bronzes, marking their best showing to date and surpassing their previous record set at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.
Notable standout performers included Palak Gulia and Esha Singh, both teenagers who exhibited exceptional talent. Seventeen-year-old Palak Gulia achieved a gold medal in the 10m air pistol women's individual final, breaking the Asian Games record with a score of 242.1. Eighteen-year-old Esha Singh closely followed with a silver medal, scoring 239.7.
Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Singh Cheema, and Shiva Narwal also delivered notable performances, displaying exceptional marksmanship to outperform the Chinese team and secure gold in the men's 10m air pistol team event. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, a former world champion, as well as Youth Olympic Games medalists Manu Bhaker and Mehuli Ghosh, also made significant contributions to India's medal count.
India's shooting contingent's success extended beyond individual competitions, with the team events yielding several medals, including a gold in the men's 50m air rifle 3P team event and a silver in the 10m air pistol women's team event.
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Asian Games 2023: Birthday boy Sarabjot Singh wins Silver with Divya TS in 10m Air Pistol mixed Final as shooters continue shining
