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Indian rifle shooters Sonam Uttam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon secured the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ongoing ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou, China, adding another podium finish to India's campaign.
Both Indian teams delivered strong performances in the qualification round to advance to the final. Sonam Uttam Maskar (317.2) and Himanshu Dhillon (317.4) combined for an aggregate qualification score of 634.6, according to a release. Meanwhile, the pair of Elavenil Valarivan (316.8) and Parth Rakesh Mane (317.4) qualified right behind them with a total score of 634.2. In the final, Sonam and Himanshu produced a composed performance to combine for 441.2 points (220.6 each), securing the bronze medal behind China 1 and China 2. Elavenil and Parth finished fourth with a final score of 378.8 (Elavenil: 190.5, Parth: 188.3). Reflecting on the achievement, Sonam Uttam Maskar said, "It was a tough competition, and the overall experience was very good. Winning a medal is always important because it gives us confidence for the assignments ahead. Experience matters more than anything, and this performance will motivate us as we prepare for the Asian Games and the World Championships later this season." Making his first-ever senior ISSF World Cup final appearance, Himanshu Dhillon added, "It was a great experience competing in my first senior World Cup final. I believed in myself, trusted my coach's guidance and relied on my strengths. I've competed in many junior finals, but winning my first senior World Cup medal makes this achievement very special." The podium finish marks another milestone for 23-year-old Sonam Uttam Maskar from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Sonam previously won silver medals at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo and the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi in 2024, alongside a fifth-place finish at the ISSF World Cup Granada, cementing her reputation as one of India's top rifle shooters, the release said. For 20-year-old Himanshu Dhillon from Jind, Haryana, the bronze medal represents his maiden senior ISSF World Cup podium. Himanshu previously won gold in the 10m Air Rifle Men Junior event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in New Delhi in 2025 before adding another gold at the Asian Shooting Championships. The bronze medal takes India's overall tally at the ISSF World Cup Hangzhou to four medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze). (ANI)
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