Rahi Sarnobat says 'There was confusion' after scoring issues in Nagoya 25m pistol event
Rahi Sarnobat said there was confusion after technical and scoring problems disrupted the women's 25m pistol competition at the Aichi Prefectural Shooting Range in Nagoya during the 20th Asian Games on September 28, 2026. Esha Singh won the silver medal in the event.
Esha Singh's hard-earned Asian Games silver on Monday was accompanied by controversy, as technical glitches and a scoring dispute involving Rahi Sarnobat drew attention and, the report said, perhaps cost the Indian team a gold. Rahi’s first shot of the first series of the day was declared on the frame and recorded as a zero. That ruling had an immediate impact on India’s standing in the team event.
“I am not sure of the exact details because of two things. When you hit the frame, there is a different sound from when you hit the target. I didn’t hear that, and a few shooters from other countries also said they did not hear a different sound. Secondly, target 21 showed there was an extra shot, but then showed an extra shot on target 20 as well. So, there was some confusion,” she said.
“They said the shot wasn’t showing on target, but there was an extra shot on target 21. Then, on target 20, they said there was an extra shot. Normally, in such cases, they check the back target, which had nine shots, but that again can happen when you have two shots at the same position. So, I don’t know. “I have never shot so out of target in my life, not even when I first started shooting. It is very difficult to believe and accept, especially when your score is also counted for the team score. Individually, you can take responsibility for all the mistakes, but when it affects your fellow shooters, it becomes even more difficult,” a disappointed Rahi added, aware that India was in a strong medal position at the end of day one.
Despite the distractions and technical glitches during the final, Esha Singh managed to remain focused through multiple tiebreaks, staving off four shoot-offs before finishing one point behind the winner. “It was amazing. I have never had an experience like this before: I am grateful for every moment, even though it was nerve-racking. Things were not working out the way I wanted them to, but I kept my focus, fought till the end and tried my best,” she gushed.
The zero awarded to Rahi on her opening shot, as applied under the technical ruling, all but ended India’s chances in the team competition in the women's 25m pistol.