Indian shooter Anish Bhanwala has achieved a monumental feat, becoming the first athlete from the country to win a medal in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event at the World Championships. Competing in Cairo, Egypt, Bhanwala secured the silver medal following a series of high-pressure shoot-offs in the final round.

Performance in the Final

Bhanwala demonstrated exceptional control to make it into the final. He qualified in second position with a score of 585-22x, just four points behind the top qualifier, Clement Bessaguet.

The final was characterized by intense competition and multiple eliminations decided by shoot-offs. Bhanwala remained composed throughout, notably securing his podium spot after an essential shoot-off win against Emmanuel Mueller. He then won another shoot-off against Maksym Horodynets to guarantee the silver medal, with Bessaguet ultimately taking the gold.

A Period of Resilience

The silver medal marks a significant turnaround for Bhanwala, who took a four-month break from the sport following the Paris Olympics. Although he failed to qualify for the final there (finishing 13th), he viewed the experience as a vital learning curve that offered a “joy to compete at the biggest stage.” His return to competition involved technical adjustments, including changing his grip to find a more suitable technique.

The World Championships silver follows another milestone from the previous year, when Bhanwala became the first Indian to win a medal in the same event at a World Cup, claiming bronze in Doha in 2023.

Expert Endorsement

London Olympics silver medalist Vijay Kumar Sharma praised Bhanwala’s progress, suggesting that this achievement signifies his development into a “mature” shooter in the rapid fire discipline. Sharma emphasized that the shooter’s focus moving forward should be on maintaining consistency and adhering to the effective technique he is currently using.