Asian Games 2026: Anant Jeet Singh Naruka Stages Stunning Comeback, Climbs to Second in Men’s Skeet

Anant Jeet Singh Naruka produced a remarkable turnaround on the second day of the men’s skeet qualification at the Asian Games 2026, shooting an outstanding 49 out of 50 targets to surge from outside the top 20 into second place ahead of the final day.

The reigning Asian champion and defending Asian Games silver medallist had endured a difficult opening day, managing 47 out of 50 and finding himself well outside the leading positions.

But Naruka responded emphatically on Tuesday. The Indian shooter opened Day 2 with a score of 24/25 before producing a perfect 25/25 in the next series. His 49/50 for the day lifted his overall qualification score to 96/100, completely transforming his position in the competition.

At the end of Day 2, three shooters were locked on 96 points at the top of the standings. Bahrain’s Tammar Alwatt occupied first place, with Naruka second and Chinese Taipei’s Lee Meng-Yuan third. Their positions were separated despite all three having identical aggregate scores.

With one final qualification series remaining, Naruka has put himself in an excellent position to challenge for a place in the individual final.

From Outside Top 20 to Second

Naruka’s recovery was particularly impressive considering his position following the opening day. His score of 47/50 had left him outside the top 20 and with considerable ground to make up against a high-quality Asian field. The 27-year-old, however, responded with the type of performance that has established him among India’s leading shotgun shooters.

A 24 in his first series on Day 2 immediately improved his position before a flawless 25 in the second pushed him right into the battle at the top of the standings. With 96 hits from 100 targets, Naruka is now level on score with the competition leader heading into the decisive final qualification series.

The final day will determine the shooters progressing to the medal round, making Naruka’s last series crucial despite the strong recovery he has already produced.

Naruka entered Aichi-Nagoya 2026 as one of India’s leading medal prospects in shotgun shooting. At the Hangzhou Asian Games, he won silver in the men’s skeet event, establishing himself among the continent’s elite shooters. He strengthened those credentials further last year by becoming the Asian champion, adding another major title to his career.

His experience could now prove valuable after a qualification campaign that has already demanded a significant mental reset. Rather than allowing the difficult opening day to derail his campaign, Naruka returned to the range and missed only one target across 50 attempts on Day 2. The challenge now is to carry that momentum into the final qualification series and, should he advance, the final itself.

India also remains firmly in contention in the women’s skeet competition, with Raiza Dhillon sitting fifth after Day 2. Dhillon has accumulated 92 points, keeping herself inside the leading group ahead of the final qualification day. China’s Che Yufei leads the women’s standings with 97, while Kazakhstan’s Assem Orynbay and China’s Jiang Yiting are next on 96.

Among the other Indians, Parinaaz Dhaliwal is ninth with 89 points, while Maheshwari Chauhan sits 16th with 85. Their combined performances have placed India third in the women’s team standings, keeping the country firmly in medal contention heading into the concluding qualification rounds.

While Naruka has surged into individual medal contention, India has more ground to make up in the men’s team event. The Indian men currently occupy fifth place after Day 2.

Naruka leads the Indian challenge with 96, while experienced shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan is 23rd and Bhavtegh Singh Gill is 35th in the individual standings. Their scores combine towards India’s team total, meaning the final qualification series will also determine whether the men can make a late push towards the team podium.

The final qualification day will now determine both the team medals and the shooters advancing to the individual finals. For India, much of the attention will be on Naruka.

From sitting outside the top 20 after Day 1 to entering the final qualification series in second place on 96/100, his turnaround has been one of India’s standout shooting performances at the Games so far. Raiza Dhillon’s fifth position and the women’s team’s third place also give India further medal possibilities.

Naruka, however, has placed himself in the strongest position. After winning silver at the previous Asian Games, the reigning Asian champion is once again within touching distance of the medal round — courtesy of a near-perfect second day that has completely revived his campaign.