India Wins Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team Silver as Aishwary and Niraj Reach Final at Asian Games 2026

India added another shooting medal to its Asian Games 2026 tally as Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil combined for the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team silver in a closely contested qualification round.

India finished with a combined score of 1762, placing second behind China, which accumulated 1766. The result also saw Aishwary and Niraj book their places in the individual final after finishing third and fourth respectively in the qualification standings.

Rudrankksh finished ninth, but his score was not enough to secure an individual final berth because the competition allows a maximum of two shooters from each National Olympic Committee in the final.

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar produced India's best individual performance, finishing third with 589-34x. The Indian shooter made an excellent start to the qualification round. During the early kneeling stage, Aishwary remained among the leaders and initially went through his opening 15 shots without dropping a point.

He later registered a 99 in his second kneeling series and remained firmly in contention as the competition progressed. China's Zhang Changhong eventually moved ahead of the Indian, producing an outstanding qualification performance that saw him finish with 593, setting a new Qualification Games Record.

Aishwary ultimately finished third on 589, securing his place in the individual final.

Niraj Stages a Strong Qualification Performance

Niraj Kumar finished fourth with 588-34x, also earning a place in the individual medal contest. The qualification round did not begin ideally for Niraj. He registered 96 in his opening kneeling series and found himself down the standings early in the competition. However, his performance improved considerably as the qualification progressed.

Niraj moved into the top 10 after producing a strong performance in the prone position, giving India an important boost in the team standings. He continued to climb before eventually finishing fourth on 588. His recovery was crucial not only for his individual qualification but also for India's team silver.

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Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil completed India's scoring trio with 585-26x, finishing ninth overall. Like Niraj, Rudrankksh improved his position significantly during the prone stage after starting outside the top positions. His strong shooting helped India remain in medal contention in the team competition.

He ultimately finished four points behind Aishwary and three behind Niraj. Despite finishing ninth, Rudrankksh's score was enough to contribute to India's 1762 team total and secure the silver medal. However, the individual qualification rules meant that he could not advance to the final because Aishwary and Niraj had already occupied the two available qualification places for India.

China Takes Team Gold

China finished at the top of the team standings with 1766, four points ahead of India. Zhang Changhong led the Chinese challenge with an exceptional 593, setting a new Qualification Games Record. Liu Yukun contributed 588, while Sheng Lihao finished with 585. The three scores combined to give China 1766 and the team gold.

India's 1762 placed the country second, while the individual performances of Aishwary and Niraj ensured that the team will also have two representatives in the individual final.

The individual final is scheduled for 10:30 AM IST on September 25. Aishwary will enter the final from third position after his 589-34x qualification score, while Niraj starts fourth with 588-34x.

Their qualification performances give India two opportunities to challenge for individual medals in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event. The event tests shooters across three positions—kneeling, prone and standing—and the qualification round demonstrated the importance of maintaining consistency throughout all three stages.

For India, the team silver has already secured another shooting medal. The focus now shifts to the individual final, where Aishwary and Niraj will look to convert their strong qualification performances into further success.

Rudrankksh's contribution should not be overlooked either. His 585 helped India reach 1762 and secure the team silver, even though the two-shooter qualification limit prevented him from joining his teammates in the individual final.

With Aishwary and Niraj both through, India will have two shooters in the medal contest when the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final gets underway at 10:30 AM IST.