Esha Singh Bags Asian Games 2026 Silver in Dramatic Shoot-Off as Manu Bhaker Misses Final
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Delivering nerves of steel in an edge-of-the-seat shooting duel, young Indian marksman Esha Singh clinched a hard-fought silver medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, September 28, 2026. Taking the firing line after a challenging qualifying phase, Esha redeemed India's shooting campaign following shock early exits for headline stars, battling through successive high-pressure shoot-offs before narrowly going down 2-3 to China's Zhao Xiao in a tense final showdown. The medal brought immense relief to the Indian contingent after double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker and seasoned veteran Rahi Sarnobat failed to navigate the qualification cutoffs, leaving Esha as the lone Indian fighting for continental glory.
Qualification Upsets: Manu Bhaker and Rahi Sarnobat Bow Out Early
The morning qualification rounds produced major surprises on the range as experienced Indian contenders struggled for rhythm:
Manu Bhaker Finishes 11th: Entering the competition as one of the heavy favorites following her historic double bronze triumph at the Paris Olympics, Manu Bhaker struggled with precision in the rapid-fire series, finishing in 11th position and missing the eight-shooter final cut.
Rahi Sarnobat Placed 30th: Former Asian Games gold medalist Rahi Sarnobat also endured an off-day at the shooting range, finishing back in 30th place after falling behind during the precision relays.
Esha Sneaks into Final in 8th: Demonstrating remarkable composure under pressure, Esha Singh held on to secure the eighth and final qualification spot, ensuring Indian representation in the medal round.
Thrilling Medal Battle: Dual Shoot-Offs Decide Continental Podium
The 25m pistol final unfolded with rapid lead changes and dramatic ties through every round of fire:
Blistering Early Start: Esha began the final on an explosive note, nailing a perfect 5-hit series to seize the early lead before following up with four hits in the second round.
Three-Way Mid-Match Deadlock: China's Zhao Xiao mounted a strong counterattack with 13 hits in the third series, but Esha fought back with another four-target clearance to lead at 20 hits alongside Xiao, while South Korea's Kim also closed in to form a three-way tie.
Shoot-Off for the Gold Duel: After 40 competition shots, Esha stood at 31 hits, trailing both Xiao and Kim who were tied at 32 points. In the sudden-death shoot-off for the bronze-or-better progression, Esha held her nerve to defeat Kim, relegating the Korean shooter to the bronze medal.
Gold Decided by Margins: Matched at 38 hits apiece with China's Zhao Xiao, the gold medal contest went into a decisive single-series shoot-off. In a razor-thin finish, Xiao edged out Esha 3-2, leaving the Indian prodigy with a well-earned silver medal.
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