Securing a gold medal in the 10-metre Air Pistol Men’s team event in Hangzhou, China, on Thursday, Sarabjot Singh, Shiva Narwal, and Arjun Singh Cheema added to India’s medal tally in the ongoing Asian Games. The Indian team outpaced the silver medalists, China, by one point, marking the fourth gold medal in shooting and contributing to India’s overall medal count in the games. Sarabjot Singh made a notable comeback, qualifying in fifth place for the individual event final, while Arjun Singh secured the eighth spot.
In an interview with The Times of India earlier this year, Sarabjot shared that he first took up an air gun at the age of 13. Initially aspiring for a career in football, his interest later shifted to shooting, altering the course of his journey. Sarabjot gained recognition when he emerged victorious at the 2021 Junior World Championships. Subsequently, in March of the same year, he secured the individual gold medal at the Shooting World Cup, which hosted the air pistol event in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. During the World Cup’s gold-medal match, he defeated Azerbaijan’s Ruslan Lunev 16-0, displaying consistent excellence throughout the competition. Leading the qualification round with 585 points, the 21-year-old Indian consistently hit the bull’s eye, with scores of 98, 97, 99, 97, 97, and 97 in the six qualification series, showcasing his evident prowess and hunger for success.
Shiva Narwal, an accomplished Indian sport shooter, has made significant strides in various shooting competitions. Notably, he clinched the bronze medal in the ISSF World Cup 10m Air Pistol mixed event, where he partnered with Palak. Furthermore, Shiva Narwal achieved a remarkable feat by winning the gold medal in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol team event during the 2022 Asian Games. Shiva Narwal didn’t qualify individually but played a crucial role in the team’s success. Despite his 14th-place individual finish, their combined score surpassed China’s, securing the gold medal for India with 1734 points. China claimed the second position with 1733 points, and Vietnam secured the bronze with 1730 points.
This triumph increases India’s total shooting medals to 13, featuring four gold, four silver, and five bronze. Earlier in the competition, Sift Kaur Samra secured gold in the women’s 50m rifle 3P individual final, and the women’s 25m pistol team event was won by the Indian trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Rhythm Sangwan. The men’s 10m air rifle team event also witnessed India’s success, with the team of Divyansh Panwar, Rudrankksh Patil, and Aishwary Tomar clinching the gold medal. With a total of 23 medals at the Asian Games, India’s haul includes five gold medals.
