Shooting
Esha Singh, Vidarsa Vinod and Parth Mane triumph at National Shooting Trials in Dehradun
Parth Rakesh Mane edged out Olympian Aishwary Tomar 251.8 to 251.5 to win the men’s 10m air rifle T4 final.
Esha Singh won her first-ever Individual World Cup medal in 25m. (Photo credit: NRAI)
Olympian and reigning mixed team pistol world champion Esha Singh led a trio of standout performers on the third day of the ongoing national selection trials for Group A Rifle and Pistol shooters, held in Dehradun on Thursday.
Representing Telangana, Esha clinched victory in the 25m pistol women’s T3 event, showcasing her experience and composure under pressure. She placed third in the qualification round with a score of 580, but dominated the final, finishing with a score of 41 to edge past Maharashtra’s Abhidnya Ashok Patil, who had led qualification with 585.
Although Abhidnya held the advantage until the seventh series in the final, Esha closed with near-perfect shooting, delivering two decisive final rounds to secure the title. Tamil Nadu's Niveditha Nair took third place, bowing out after the ninth series with 30 points.
In the men’s 10m air rifle T4 final, Parth Rakesh Mane of Maharashtra emerged victorious with a score of 251.8, edging past two-time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, who finished narrowly behind at 251.5. Parth had qualified fourth (631.9), while Aishwary topped the chart with 633.5.
The final also featured former world No. 1 and world record holder Divyansh Singh Panwar, along with three Army shooters. Although Umamahesh Maddineni — winner of the previous T3 trial — started strong and led in the early stages, Parth surged into joint lead after the 16th shot and took sole command on the 17th, maintaining his edge to secure the top podium finish. Umamahesh ended third.
Meanwhile, Kerala’s Vidarsa Vinod claimed top honours in the 50m rifle 3 positions women’s T4 final, with a total of 462.7 points after 45 shots. She edged out Punjab’s Anjum Moudgil, a former World Championship silver medallist and two-time Olympian, by just 0.3 points. Nischal, representing Haryana and a World Cup silver medallist, secured third place.
The national trials continue to serve as a key platform in shaping India’s shooting squads ahead of upcoming international competitions.
