India added another medal to its tally at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou. Sonam Uttam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon claimed bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event with a strong display across qualification and the medal round.
The Indian pair secured their place in the final after combining for a qualification score of 634.6. Sonam contributed 317.2, while Himanshu finished with 317.4 to book a spot among the leading teams.
India also had a second pairing in contention. Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Rakesh Mane advanced to the final after posting an aggregate of 634.2, with scores of 316.8 and 317.4 respectively.
In the medal contest, Sonam and Himanshu maintained their consistency to finish with a combined total of 441.2 points, with both shooters contributing 220.6 each. Their effort earned India the bronze medal, while China 1 and China 2 finished ahead of them on the podium.
Sonam and Himanshu reflect on finishing third
Elavenil and Parth narrowly missed out on a medal after placing fourth with a total of 378.8. Elavenil scored 190.5 in the final, while Parth added 188.3. Speaking after the event, Sonam said the result would provide valuable confidence heading into the major international competitions later this year.
โIt 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,โ Sonam said as quoted by ANI.
The bronze medal continued an impressive run for the 23-year-old shooter from Kolhapur. Sonam previously won silver medals at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo and the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi in 2024, while also recording a fifth-place finish at the ISSF World Cup in Granada.
For Himanshu Dhillon, the result marked his first medal at the senior ISSF World Cup level. The 20-year-old from Jind had already enjoyed success in junior competition, winning gold in the 10m Air Rifle Men Junior event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in New Delhi in 2025 before adding another title at the Asian Shooting Championships.
Reflecting on his breakthrough performance, Himanshu described the occasion as a memorable milestone in his career.
โIt 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,โ Himanshu said.ย
The latest podium finish lifted India’s overall medal count at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou to four medals, comprising one gold, one silver and two bronze.
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