Samrat Rana scripts golden chapter in Indian shooting history at ISSF Worlds

India's rising shooting star Samrat Rana delivered a sensational display of composure and precision to capture the men's 10m air pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Championships on Monday, marking a landmark moment in the country's shooting history.

The 20-year-old from Karnal became the first Indian pistol shooter to win a world title in an Olympic discipline, also leading India to team gold in the process.

Samrat shot a magnificent 243.7 in a tense final to edge past China's Hu Kai, who finished with 243.3. India's Varun Tomar added further glory by claiming bronze with 221.7, making this the first instance of two Indians sharing the podium in the same pistol event at the world level. The thrilling final saw the lead swing repeatedly before Samrat sealed victory by just 0.4 points on the decisive 24th shot.

The young champion's rise has been steady since his junior triumphs at the same venue in 2022, where he had secured two gold medals. Coached by his father since 2018, Samrat had been on the verge of senior success for the past year, coming close to qualifying for the ISSF World Cup Final in Ningbo. His qualification round score of 586 - featuring 27 inner 10s - placed him on top, while Varun matched the total but settled for second due to fewer inner 10s.

In the team standings, Samrat (586), Varun (586) and Shravan Kumar (582) combined for 1754 to secure gold, pushing India from fifth to third in the overall medals table with three gold, three silver and three bronze medals. China led with six gold, four silver and two bronze.

For Varun, a native of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh and cousin of Olympian Saurabh Chaudhary, the medal was deeply emotional. His father, Vishesh Tomar, a schoolteacher, said he always encouraged his son to chase his dreams in sport rather than academics. Varun, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, has trained at the National Centre of Excellence, Delhi, where his relentless dedication finally paid off.

However, in the women's 10m air pistol final, India's top guns Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh endured heartbreak. Manu, a double Olympic medallist, appeared in control before an 8.8 on her 14th shot derailed her challenge, leaving her seventh with 139.5. Esha, who had recently captured the World Cup gold in Ningbo, also slipped to sixth after a similar misfire despite a strong start.

India did manage a consolation with team silver, as Esha (583), Manu (580) and world No.1 Suruchi Inder Singh (577) totaled 1740 behind the winners. Suruchi, who has claimed four World Cup gold medals this year, finished 14th individually in a strong field of 99 shooters.