The 67th National Shooting Championship witnessed a dramatic showdown in the Men’s 50m Rifle Three Positions, where Navy’s Kiran Ankush Jadhav rose to the occasion to secure the national title after a thrilling battle with two Olympians, including Paris Olympic bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale.
Held at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal, the final saw 29-year-old Kiran, who had qualified fourth with a score of 590, make a stunning comeback in the last stages. He shot a total of 465.8 in the final, leaving double-Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar from the home state in second place with 463.1. Swapnil Kusale, who had dominated the final for the majority of the 45-shot competition, faltered in the last few shots, ultimately finishing third with 451.8.
The competition started with Swapnil taking the lead in the qualification round, topping the charts with an impressive 593, a world-class score. Aishwary followed closely with a score of 592, while Kiran posted a solid 590 to secure the fourth spot. Despite a strong qualification, Swapnil was unable to maintain his lead in the final, with his last four shots in the standing position falling short of the 10-ring, with scores of 9.2, 9.4, 8.9, and 9.5. This allowed Kiran and Aishwary to surge ahead.
Kiran, who had been in third place until the 40th shot, pulled off a remarkable performance in the final stages. He fired a series of exceptional shots, including scores of 10.6, 10.4, 10.6, 10.0, and 10.8, clinching the gold with a commanding finish. Aishwary, despite his strong showing, could not capitalize on Swapnil’s slip, as his 41st shot of 9.9 was just short of taking the lead. He held on to secure the silver.
This victory marked Kiran’s second National title in the 50m Rifle Three Positions event, with his first win coming in 2021 at the same venue, further cementing his consistency and strength in the discipline.
Adriyan Karmakar claims Junior National title with dominant performance
In the junior final, West Bengal’s Adriyan Karmakar showcased his talent, overcoming Madhya Pradesh’s Kushagra Singh Rajawat with a score of 462.0, a full four points ahead of the local shooter. Rajasthan’s Deependra Singh Shekhawat completed the podium in third with a score of 445.6.
Adriyan, who had qualified third with a score of 586, demonstrated consistent form throughout the competition. Haryana’s Rohit Kanyan, who made both the junior and senior finals, topped the qualification table with 587 but finished outside the medal positions in the junior event.