Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 : Indian Women's 10m Air Rifle Team Secures Silver After Rowing Men's Victory

Sunday (September 24) witnessed India's striking presence in the medal tally, excelling in both shooting and rowing. After a successful men's rowing campaign, India continued their winning streak in the 10m air rifle event. Mehuli Ghosh (23), Ramita Jindal (19) and Ashi Chouksey (21) showcased exceptional skill, clinching the women's team silver. Ramita also secured an individual bronze, giving Indian shooters a strong start at the Asian Games. Their combined score of 1,886.0 earned them a well-deserved second place, with host nation China setting a new Asian record at 1,896.6. Junior world champion Ramita further demonstrated her prowess with a final score of 230.1, securing the individual bronze.

China dominated the event, with Huang Yuting achieving a Games record score of 252.7 for the gold, and Han Jiayu securing silver with 251.3 points.

Ramita was in contention for silver until a slight setback with a 9.9 on her 13th shot. Mehuli, another Indian finalist in the eight-shooter round, finished fourth with a score of 208.43.

Regardless of China's triumph in the team category, all three Indian female shooters exhibited exceptional performance on Sunday. Ramita achieved a qualification score of 631.9, securing second place, while Mehuli claimed fourth position with a score of 630.8. The third member, Ashi, fell slightly short with a score of 623.3, finishing 28th in the qualification round.

 The combined effort of the trio earned them the silver, boosting the morale of the Indian contingent, with hopes to surpass their previous Games performance in Jakarta and Palembang, where they secured nine medals.

The team scores in shooting are determined by the combined qualification round scores of a country's shooters. China claimed the team gold, with all three of their shooters - Han Jiayu, Huang Yuting, and Wang Zhilin - delivering exceptional performances to set a new Games record. Mongolia secured third place with a combined score of 1880.0.

Impressive in qualification, all three Indian shooters displayed commendable performance. Ramita consistently scored 104.3, 106.7, 105.2, 104.3, 105.4, and 106.0 in the six series, accumulating a total of 631.9. This placed her second, just behind China's Han Jiyan, who set new records with an outstanding 634.1. Mehuli, who also advanced to the individual final with a qualification score of 630.8, maintained her momentum with scores of 104.6, 105.7, 104.6, 105.1, 104.9, and 105.9. She secured fifth place, earning her spot in the final round. However, the third Indian shooter, Ashi, fell short of making it to the final, finishing 28th with a qualification score of 623.3.

In spite of  Mehuli's recent success in international events, Ramita, the reigning world champion in the 10m air rifle junior event at the ISSF World Championship (Rifle/Pistol) in Cairo last year, exhibited remarkable focus and skill, particularly after a momentary lapse in concentration during the 13th shot. This allowed her to regain her composure and deliver exceptional scores, ultimately surpassing Mehuli in the race for the bronze.

For Mehuli, missing out on a medal would have been a significant disappointment, especially after her recent bronze win at the ISSF World Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, along with securing a quota place for the 2024 Paris Olympics.