Rio De Janeiro - Young Indian shooter Nischal has secured a silver medal in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the ISSF World Cup held in Rio De Janeiro. Her impressive achievement came on the final day of the tournament, marking India's second medal.
Nischal's success is particularly noteworthy as this was her debut in a senior World Cup competition. She finished second, with a final score of 458.0, just behind Norwegian rifle expert Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who boasts an impressive record with 12 ISSF World Cup medals, including five gold, and has earned accolades such as the Air Rifle European Champion and 300m 3P World Champion. Duestad also achieved fourth place in the Tokyo Olympics.
Throughout the day, Nischal demonstrated exceptional shooting skills, even breaking the national qualification record in Women's 3P. Reflecting on her remarkable performance, the young shooter expressed her joy, stating, "It is my first world cup final, and I have a medal, so I am very happy for that."
Her journey to the final began with elimination rounds, where a total of 73 competitors participated. Nischal scored an impressive 587 in the first relay, securing her place in the qualification round. Her fellow countrywomen, including Anjum Moudgil and Ayushi Podder, also advanced to the qualification round.
During qualification, Nischal delivered a superb performance with a score of 592, including a perfect 200 in the prone position, surpassing the previous qualification national record held by Anjum Moudgil. While Anjum shot a solid 586, she narrowly missed the final, finishing in 10th place, while Ayushi placed 35th with a score of 580.
The final featured a competitive field, including world champion Wanru Miao of China, 2018 Youth Olympic champion Stephanie Grundsoee of Denmark, Italian Olympian Sofia Ceccarello, and senior Polish shooter Aneta Stankiewicz, among others.
Nischal maintained a strong performance throughout the final, going head-to-head with Duestad. Despite trailing slightly behind the Norwegian in the early stages, she remained composed and focused. As the competition progressed, Nischal's consistency paid off, securing her the silver medal while Duestad clinched the gold.
In the Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event, Gurpreet Singh represented India but finished 15th.
With one gold and one silver medal, the 16-member Indian contingent wrapped up their campaign at the Rio World Cup, securing a commendable seventh position in the overall standings. Earlier in the competition, two Indian shooters narrowly missed making the finals by a single point or less.