Sports, Sept 25: India’s Men’s 10m Air Rifle Team has secured its first gold medal of the ongoing Asian Games 2023 while simultaneously breaking a world record.

The exceptional team, comprising Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, Divyansh Singh Panwar, and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, not only claimed India’s initial gold medal of the competition but also shattered the existing world record in the process.

During the individual qualification round, the trio exhibited remarkable marksmanship, amassing a total of 1893.7 points. This outstanding score surpassed the previous world record set by China earlier in the year at the Baku World Championship. South Korea secured the second position with 1890.1 points, while China earned the third spot with a combined score of 1888.2.

Rudrankksh, who achieved a third-place finish in the qualification round, made a significant contribution to the team’s victory by scoring 631.6 points. Aishwary showcased his exceptional skills with an equally impressive score of 631.6 points, while Divyansh’s performance added 629.6 points to India’s triumphant journey.

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Notably, India didn’t just secure a gold medal in the team event; all three shooters also qualified for the top 8 in the 10m Air Rifle event. However, in accordance with Asian Games regulations, only two participants from each country can advance to the final. As a result, Rudrankksh and Aishwary proceeded to the final round, while Divyansh narrowly missed out.

The initial series witnessed a slight setback for the Indian shooters, with Rudrankksh and Divyansh earning 104.8 points each, while Aishwary scored 104.1. Nevertheless, they swiftly regained their composure, steadily elevating their scores in subsequent series. By the sixth series, the team had achieved a historic feat, breaking the world record with an impressive total of 1893.7 points.

This victory held particular significance as it marked India’s first gold medal at the Asian Games 2023. It set the stage for India’s performance at the games, with the country concluding the inaugural day with five medals in total – three silver medals and two bronze medals.

The women’s 10m air rifle team, composed of Ashi Chouksey, Mehuli Ghosh, and Ramita Jindal, also made their presence felt by securing India’s first medal at Hangzhou 2023 – a silver in shooting.