India opened its medal account at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou on Friday when Sainyam won the silver medal in the women’s 10m rifle event.The 22-year-old from Chandigarh did well in the final, scoring 243.4 to finish second in a strong field. She participated in the final round of eight women with a score of 579.Sainyam entered the tournament on the back of a good home form. He won the final of the 10m air pistol Trial 2 at the National Selection Trials in New Delhi with a score of 243.1. Earlier this year, he also won a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha.The Chandigarh batsman has made steady progress at the international level over the past few years. In 2023, he won gold medals at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl and the ISSF Junior World Championship in Changwon. He also finished on the podium at the Khelo India Youth Games.“Sainyam’s podium finish in Hangzhou is a testament to his commitment and skill at the international level. Competing at the world’s highest level requires great calmness, and his performance reflects the high standards he always strives for,” National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said.Suruchi Inder Singh was another Indian to qualify for the final. He finished seventh with a score of 137.6 after completing a 579-20x.In the qualifiers, Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker recorded the highest score among Indian shooters with 582-12x while competing in the RPO (Positions Only).Esha Singh finished 13th with 577-22x, while Laksita scored 572-14x in her RPO event.
