Indian shooter Sonam Uttam Maskar delivered a spirited performance to finish fifth in the women’s 10m air rifle final at the ISSF World Cup Granada 2026, as India wrapped up its campaign with a total of one gold medal.
Sonam Narrowly Misses Podium in High-Quality Final
Sonam registered a score of 188.5, exiting after the 18th shot in the 24-shot final—just 0.8 points shy of the podium race at that stage. She started strongly with a 10.6, but a 9.8 early on proved costly in an intensely competitive field.
Despite the pressure, she stayed in contention by avoiding elimination multiple times, highlighted by a brilliant 10.9 on her 14th shot. However, a final 10.5 wasn’t enough to push her into the medal positions.
China Dominates, Wang Zifei Clinches Gold
World No. 1 Wang Zifei showcased dominance, clinching gold with 252.9 points. Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad secured silver (252.4), while China’s Han Jiayu took bronze (231.5).
India Finishes Third in Medal Standings
India concluded the tournament third in the overall medal tally, managing one gold medal despite reaching seven finals. The lone gold came on the opening day, when the 10m air pistol duo of Mukesh Nelavalli and Palak delivered a top finish.
China dominated the standings with eight gold medals and a total of 13 medals.
Qualification Round Highlights
Earlier in qualification, Sonam posted a strong 632.8 to enter the final in seventh place. Fellow Indian shooters had mixed results:
- Mehuli Ghosh finished 44th (627.3)
- Shruti placed 63rd (624.8) in a competitive 91-shooter field
Among RPO (ranking points only) participants:
- Narmada Nithin Raju scored 629.0
- Rajshree Sancheti scored 628.1
Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions: India Misses Final Spots
In the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions qualification:
- Niraj Kumar shot 589 (15th place)
- Akhil Sheoran scored 588 (22nd place)
Chain Singh had been eliminated earlier in the competition.
