In a remarkable debut, young Indian rifle shooter Nischal secured a silver medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the ISSF World Cup in Rio De Janeiro. This achievement is all the more impressive as it marked her very first senior World Cup appearance.
Nischal displayed exceptional shooting prowess throughout the day, setting a new national record in Women’s 3P qualification in the process.
During the final, she finished with a score of 458.0, trailing behind the Norwegian rifle ace, Jeanette Hegg Duestad. Duestad, who has an impressive track record including being the reigning Air Rifle European Champion and 300m 3P World Champion, clinched the gold. Notably, she has earned 12 ISSF World Cup medals, including five gold, and had also finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics.
Nischal’s journey began with the elimination rounds, where 18 shooters were gradually eliminated from a total of 73 competitors. She shot a solid 587 in relay one during qualification. In the qualification rounds, Nischal displayed exceptional skills, achieving a remarkable score of 592, which included a perfect 200 in the prone position. This score surpassed the previous qualification national record held by Anjum Moudgil.
In the final, Nischal maintained her composure and competitiveness against Duestad. The Norwegian held a slight lead after the first 30 shots, but Nischal managed to close the gap during the standing position. Her consistent performance secured her the silver medal, with Duestad taking the gold.
Nischal’s achievement adds to India’s successful campaign at the Rio World Cup, where the Indian contingent claimed one gold and one silver medal. Elavenil Valarivan had earlier won the Women’s 10m Air Rifle gold.
Despite a competitive field, Nischal’s remarkable debut in senior competition demonstrates her promising future in the world of rifle shooting, making her a rising star in Indian sports.