India’s shooting contingent finally found its breakthrough moment at the ISSF World Championships in Doha as Jaypal Malviya clinched a historic silver medal in the men’s 10m Air Pistol event and secured the country’s first quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Jaypal Malviya clinched India’s first quota for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles on Thursday after securing a breakthrough silver in the men’s 10m Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Championships in Doha.
The 31-year-old shooter did what heavyweights like Suruchi Inder Singh and double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker couldn’t do, as they failed to clinch a podium finish.
Malviya’s second-place finish is a huge boost for the Indian shooters at the ISSF Worlds, as the contingent hasn’t produced a decent performance until the 31-year-old’s silver medal.
Who is Jaypal Malviya?
Hailing from Chandan village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, Malviya, a farmer by profession, was first introduced to shooting through the National Cadet Corps (NCC) programme, where he began learning to use a rifle, according to The Indian Express. He began practising it as a seasonal hobby, but when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Malviya transitioned to a pistol after realising he had better stability with it.
Malviya was self-coached until he reached the state level, and in 2023, coach Dharmendra Dudi of the Bhopal Shooting Academy took him under his wing and started coaching him. He eventually gained a spot in India’s B team after the national trials and eventually transitioned to the A squad.
Notably, the Indian shooter still used the first-ever pistol he purchased — a second-hand Walther — for INR 1,05,000, since it still worked well and he gets it repaired through the arms manufacturer itself.
More from Sports31-year-old Malviya defied all the odds and naysayers and focused on honing his skills, which has helped him reach new heights in shooting.
Malviya clinches silver medal finish
Malviya made it to the final in third place after shooting 585 across six series in the qualification rounds.
In the final, the Indian shooter picked up a rocky start, shooting 9.2 in his second attempt of the opening five-shot series before recovering with a 10.6 in his final shot.
Malviya finished the first series with 50.5, claiming the third position and remaining in contention, but he dropped to fourth after wrapping up his 10-shot series with 10.8, with his overall score being 100.0.
The Indian shooter turned the tables with a strong response after scoring 10.7. He eventually finished second, just 0.5 points behind the first-placed shooter to ensure an Olympic quota and a silver medal finish.