Asian Games: Esha Singh Clinches Silver in Women’s 25m Pistol

Toyota: India’s Esha Singh produced a remarkable fightback under intense pressure to win the silver medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, surviving multiple shoot-offs before finishing second on the podium.

This is Esha's third silver in the Asian Games, having won silver in the 10m Air pistol individual event and team event in Hangzhou 2023,

Esha entered the final having only narrowly secured her place among the top eight, qualifying in eighth position after scoring 580-22x. But the Indian quickly put that behind her once the medal round began, opening the final with a perfect five hits from five shots.

She remained among the leaders throughout the early stages, although the contest repeatedly tightened at the top. Xiao Jiaruixuan of China moved ahead with consecutive perfect series, while North Korea’s Kim Hyon Suk also stayed firmly in medal contention.

The elimination phase brought further twists. Esha slipped down the standings after registering three hits, but responded with a flawless 5/5 to ensure that she remained in contention. When Vietnam’s Trinh Thu Vinh was eliminated, the Indian was guaranteed herself a medal.

The battle for bronze then turned into an extraordinary sequence of shoot-offs between Esha and Kim, who were tied on 34 hits. Both shooters initially recorded three hits, forcing another shoot-off. A technical interruption added to the tension before the contest resumed with a single-shot situation. Esha eventually prevailed, securing the bronze-medal position and earning the right to fight Xiao for gold.

The final showdown was equally absorbing. Xiao and Esha remained separated by just one hit before the Indian produced four hits to force another shoot-off. Both shooters then managed four hits apiece, sending the contest into yet another shoot-off.

With the gold medal within reach, Esha registered two hits while Xiao managed three, leaving the Indian with silver. Their combined scores reached 38, matching the Games Record of 38 hits set by China’s Liu Rui at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. IANS

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