India enjoyed a strong day in shooting at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet winning the 10m air pistol mixed team gold on Friday. The Indian pair produced an Asian Games record score of 484.6 points in the final to finish ahead of South Korea, which scored 478.0. Iran took the bronze medal with 415.8 points.
The victory gave India its second gold medal of the Asian Games and its first shooting gold at the event. It was also a significant turnaround for both shooters, who had missed out on the individual finals in the 10m air pistol events.
Suruchi had finished 26th in the women’s 10m air pistol qualification, while Kamaljeet had come ninth in the men’s event with 580 points. He missed the individual final by just one point. The two shooters were brought together for the mixed team event after a late change in India’s combination.
Suruchi was initially scheduled to compete alongside Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve. Uchaganve had scored 568 points and finished 35th in the men’s qualification. Kamaljeet’s stronger performance earned him the opportunity to partner Suruchi, and the new combination quickly showed its potential.
The Indian pair topped the mixed team qualification with 587 points and 29 inner 10s. They carried that form into the medal round and remained in control through the final. Their score of 484.6 gave them a 6.6-point advantage over South Korea and also set a new Asian Games record.
The result was particularly important for Suruchi, who has emerged as one of India’s leading young pistol shooters. The 19-year-old had entered the Asian Games after a strong run on the international circuit but had been unable to reach the individual final. The mixed team event gave her another opportunity, and she made the most of it alongside Kamaljeet.
Kamaljeet also turned his narrow individual disappointment into a major team success. After missing the individual final by one point, he produced a composed performance in the mixed team event. The pair maintained their consistency throughout the final and did not allow the chasing teams to put significant pressure on them.
South Korea finished second with 478.0 points, while Iran took bronze with 415.8. India’s winning margin reflected the consistency of the two shooters across the medal round and gave the country an important gold early in the shooting programme.
India added another shooting medal later in the day, winning silver in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar and Rudrankksh Patil combined for 1,762 points to finish behind China.
China won the team gold with 1,766 points, while South Korea secured bronze with 1,751. India remained within reach of China through the competition but could not close the four-point gap in the final stages.
Aishwary and Niraj also secured places in the individual final after strong qualification performances. Aishwary scored 589 points, while Niraj finished with 588. Rudrankksh scored 585 but could not advance to the individual final because only two shooters from each country are allowed to compete in the individual medal round.
The individual final did not bring another medal for India. Aishwary finished fifth with 327.6 points, while Niraj placed eighth. China’s Liu Yukun won the individual gold with a Games-record score of 460.5. His compatriot Zhang Changhong took silver, while Kazakhstan’s Islam Satpayev won bronze.
Despite missing the individual podium, the team silver gave India another medal from the shooting range and completed a productive day for the country’s shooters.
The results were particularly encouraging after India had struggled to convert some of its early shooting opportunities into medals. The men’s and women’s 10m air pistol team events had not produced a medal, while Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker reached the women’s 10m air pistol final but missed the podium.
The mixed team event provided another chance for India, and Suruchi and Kamaljeet delivered when it mattered most. Their victory also showed how quickly fortunes can change in shooting. Both had missed individual finals, but the late pairing allowed them to produce a winning performance together.
Shooting has traditionally been one of India’s important medal-producing sports at the Asian Games, and Friday’s results added to that record. The two medals also strengthened India’s campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, which are being held from September 19 to October 4.
The focus will now shift to the remaining shooting events, with India hoping to add to its medal tally. After a gold from Suruchi and Kamaljeet and a silver from Aishwary, Niraj and Rudrankksh, the shooting contingent has made a strong start to the competition.
Suruchi and Kamaljeet’s gold was the reward for making the most of an unexpected opportunity. A late change in the pairing produced a winning combination, and the duo responded by topping qualification before setting an Asian Games record in the final.
India’s shooters now have further opportunities to add to the medal tally as competition continues across the shooting disciplines in Nagoya.
