Full Breakdown
Esha Singh Wins Silver in Women’s 25 m Pistol at the 2026 Asian Games
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Event Summary
On September 28 2026, at the General Shooting Gallery in Aichi-Nagoya, 21-year-old Indian shooter Esha Singh finished second in the women’s 25 m pistol individual final. After a qualification round of 580 points, she entered the eight-shooter final in eighth place. In the final, Singh and China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan both recorded 38 hits, forcing a gold-medal shoot-off that Xiao won 3-2. The bronze went to North Korea’s Kim Hyon Suk, who lost to Singh in a separate shoot-off.
Background & Context
Singh entered the Games as the reigning world number 1 and a former Asian Games gold-medallist (Hangzhou 2023). Her compatriots Manu Bhaker and Rahi Sarnobat also competed in the 25 m pistol events. While Singh secured an individual silver, the Indian women’s team missed the podium after Sarnobat’s “zero-point” shot in the fourth series, leaving the trio in fifth place.
Data & Statistics
- Qualification score: 580 points (22 Xs).
- Final regulation score: 38 hits (tied with Xiao).
- Shoot-off record: Sources differ on the total number of shoot-offs Singh endured—Indian Express reports five consecutive shoot-offs, whereas Hindustan Times notes four shoot-offs before the decisive fifth against Xiao.
- Silver-medal shoot-off vs. Kim: 3-2 in the third of three tie-breakers after both shooters posted 34 hits.
- Gold-medal shoot-off vs. Xiao: 3-2 in the second of two tie-breakers after both posted 38 hits.
- Team event: India’s trio (Singh, Bhaker, Sarnobat) scored 1727-56 Xs, 7 points behind bronze-medal Chinese Taipei.
Official Statements & Responses
She noted that a perfect 5/5 series in the qualification round kept her alive when she was fourth before the final.
Rahi Sarnobat, reflecting on the team-event miss, said the error was unprecedented in her career and she could not explain how it occurred.
The Indian shooting contingent’s performance lifted India’s overall shooting medal tally to twelve (1 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze) at the Games.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Number of shoot-offs: Indian Express describes Singh surviving five shoot-offs (four for silver/bronze and one for gold), while Hindustan Times states she survived four shoot-offs before losing in the fifth. Both accounts agree on the sequence of shoot-offs but differ on the count.
- Team-event details: While most sources list the team’s total score and placement, none provide a breakdown of individual series beyond Sarnobat’s miss, leaving the precise impact of each shooter’s performance partially undocumented.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is the first time that something like this has happened in my career and I do not know how it happened,” — Rahi Sarnobat, asian games champion – “This is the first time that something like this has happened in my career and I do not know how it happened,” — Rahi Sarnobat, Asian Games champion
- “The rain started yesterday, so hard luck for us,” — Afghanistan – “The rain started yesterday, so hard luck for us,” — Afghanistan
These statements capture the unexpected nature of the team-event setback and the broader weather challenges that affected scheduling across the Games.