NEW DELHI: India underlined its growing dominance in world shooting by finishing atop the medal tally at the 2026 ISSF World Junior Championships in Suhl, Germany, ending a sensational campaign with 24 medals, including seven gold, eight silver and nine bronze.The Indian contingent finished comfortably ahead of the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), who secured 14 medals with six golds, while traditional powerhouse Italy placed third with 10 medals, also with six golds.The remarkable performance marked another milestone for Indian shooting, with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) celebrating the country’s success in the rifle and pistol disciplines, individual, mixed and team events.
The young stars ship through rifle and pistol
India’s campaign began in style as Sejal Kamble struck gold in the women’s 10m air pistol, while Himanshi added a bronze. Sejal then teamed up with Vanshika Choudhary and Navya Bishnoi to win the team gold, giving India an early lead in the championship.The medals continued to flow as Sameer struck gold in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, Rohit Kanyan topped the podium in the men’s 50m rifle three position, and Pritam Kendre emerged champion in the men’s 10m air rifle. Abhinav Deshwal later added another gold in the men’s 25m standard pistol, while Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar and Abhinav Shaw sealed the gold in the 10m mixed team event.India also collected several silver medals through Prachi Gaikwad, Shiva Narwal, Shaurya Dilip Bharne, Aishwarya Ravichandra Balehosur and several team events, highlighting the impressive depth of the junior team.“Topping the medal tally at a World Championship for two consecutive editions is a phenomenal achievement,” said NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo.“What makes me happier is that these 24 medals did not come from just one or two individual stars. They were scattered in rifle and pistol, individual, mixed and team events. It proves that our structural base programs are working effectively,” he added.
Almost perfect campaign despite missed opportunities
India’s final tally could be even richer.Vanshika Choudhary suffered heartbreak in the women’s 10m air pistol final after failing to fire her final shot as she challenged for gold and a possible junior world record due to an apparent mix-up during the closing moments. The missed attempt denied India a rare clean sweep of the podium.The team also lost another medal opportunity when Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar was disqualified in the women’s 10m air rifle team event for failing the ISSF clothing stiffness test.While India dominated the rifle and pistol competitions, the rifle remained a concern. The contingent did not win a medal in the trap or skeet events, with no male shooter reaching the finals. Bhavya Tripathi and Rishan Guron qualified for the women’s final but finished eighth and seventh respectively.
