Prachi Gaikwad wins gold at ISSF Junior World Cup in Cairo as India tops medal tally. Naraen Pranav secures bronze, boosting India’s dominance in junior shooting with strong performances across rifle and pistol events.
India returned to the summit of the global junior shooting stage after a gripping display of precision and composure at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Cairo, where Prachi Gaikwad secured a dramatic gold medal in the junior women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event on Thursday.
Competing at the Olympic International City Shooting Range, Prachi delivered under intense pressure, finishing with a score of 354.6 in the final. She edged past Individual Neutral Athlete Darya Chuprys by the narrowest of margins, just 0.2 points, in what turned out to be one of the most thrilling contests of the tournament. Another neutral shooter, Elena Kretinina, claimed bronze with 343.3 after bowing out late in the final.
The victory marked India’s second gold medal at the ongoing championship, following Shiva Narwal’s triumph in the men’s 10m air pistol earlier in the competition. With four silver and three bronze medals already secured, India surged back to the top of the medal standings, reaffirming its growing dominance in junior international shooting.
Prachi’s journey to gold was far from straightforward. She was the sole Indian shooter to qualify for the final in her event, entering the eight-woman showdown in sixth place with a qualification score of 578. The final began cautiously for her, as she occupied fifth position after the kneeling stage. However, she quickly found rhythm during the prone round, climbing to second place and narrowing the gap to the leader to just 0.6 points.
The decisive standing stage brought both tension and drama. Prachi started strongly, registering a series of high scores that briefly propelled her into the lead. Yet, a momentary dip saw her slip to third after missing the 10-ring multiple times. With the contest hanging in the balance, she demonstrated remarkable composure, striking four precise 10s in the final shots—including two high 10s—to seal the gold medal in emphatic fashion.
In the junior men’s 10m air rifle event, India added another medal to its tally through Naraen Pranav, who clinched bronze with a final score of 229.5. The event featured strong Indian participation, with three shooters advancing to the final. Naraen had earlier qualified in third place with an impressive score of 630.9, while Abhinav Shaw and Divyanshu Dewangan also made the cut.
The final proved highly competitive. Divyanshu was the first to be eliminated, finishing eighth after 12 shots. As the rounds progressed, Naraen and Abhinav remained in contention for a podium finish. A crucial phase saw Naraen deliver exceptional shots, including a 10.7 and a near-perfect 10.9, elevating him into medal contention.
Despite a late push, Abhinav fell short after a 9.9 shot derailed his chances, leaving Naraen to battle for bronze. He ultimately secured third place, narrowly missing silver by 0.4 points. Uzbekistan’s Javohir Sokhibov dominated the final to claim gold with a score of 251.2, finishing comfortably ahead of Cyprus’s Achilleas Sophocleous, who took silver.
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India’s strong showing extended beyond completed events, with promising performances in the junior women’s 10m air pistol qualification. Vanshika Chaudhary, Sejal Kamble, and Kanak secured the top three qualifying positions with scores of 579, 577, and 576 respectively. Their dominance in the qualification round has raised expectations ahead of the final scheduled later in the evening.
The ongoing tournament continues to highlight India’s depth in shooting talent, particularly at the junior level. With consistent performances across disciplines and a growing list of medal winners, the country’s young shooters are making a strong case for future success on the global stage.
