India's men's 10m air pistol team miss final at Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya
India's men's 10m air pistol team failed to qualify for the final at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Thursday, September 24. The outcome extended a disappointing run in the event after the women's team and Manu Bhaker also missed out on medals the previous day.
India arrived in Aichi-Nagoya with strong expectations in the 10m air pistol discipline, particularly because the women's team had won gold at the previous Asian Games. Those hopes were dented when the women's team finished fourth on Wednesday and Manu Bhaker failed to reach the podium in the individual event. The men's result on Thursday compounded the setback in one of the country's traditionally stronger shooting events.
The men's trio of Kamaljeet, Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve and Aakash Bharadwaj combined for 1727-53x to finish fourth in the team qualification. None of the three advanced to the individual final, bringing India's 10m air pistol campaign to an early end. The placement denied India another medal opportunity in the event.
China topped the men's team standings with 1743-70x, while Indonesia also shot 1743 points but were placed second on inner-10s. Japan took the bronze with 1730-54x.
In the women's team event, Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Suruchi Inder Singh finished fourth after being tied with Vietnam on 1719 points; Vietnam secured the bronze by having 46 inner-10s to India's 44. Bhaker was India's sole representative in the individual final after qualifying third with 579-20x but finished fifth in the final with 181.1. Esha Singh placed 15th in qualification and Suruchi Inder Singh was 26th.
There were brighter moments in skeet, where both the men's and women's teams won bronze medals. In mixed team skeet qualification, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka finished fourth with 138 points, keeping India's prospects in shooting events alive.
The focus now shifts to other shooting events at the Asian Games, with India's medal hopes still alive despite the unexpected blank in the 10m air pistol competitions.
