Sarabjot Singh Triumphs at National Selection Trials as Lakshita, Akhil Sheoran and Sakshi Padekar Claim Titles
Paris Olympics bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh won the men's 10m air pistol event at the T4 National Selection Trials in Dehradun. Lakshita, Akhil Sheoran and Sakshi Sunil Padekar also emerged victorious.
Paris Olympics bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh underlined his status as one of India's leading pistol shooters by clinching the men's 10m air pistol title on the penultimate day of the T4 National Selection Trials in Dehradun on Tuesday.
Competing at the Trishul Shooting Range of the Maharana Pratap Sports College, Sarabjot emerged victorious in a high-quality final that also featured several of India's top pistol shooters, including Saurabh Chaudhary, Samrat Rana and Udhayveer Sidhu. The day also saw Army shooter Lakshita claim the women's 10m air pistol crown, while former World Championship medallist Akhil Sheoran and Maharashtra's Sakshi Sunil Padekar emerged victorious in the men's and women's 50m rifle 3 positions events respectively.
With the Indian squads for upcoming international competitions expected to be finalised after the trials, the performances carried added significance.
The men's 10m air pistol final delivered one of the most competitive contests of the day. Sarabjot displayed remarkable composure under pressure, finishing with a score of 245.9 to secure the gold medal. Army shooter Ajendra Singh Chauhan pushed the Olympic medallist all the way and finished just 0.8 points behind on 245.1.
World champion Samrat Rana completed the podium with a score of 221.5. The final was particularly notable because several established names entered as strong contenders. Qualification topper Saurabh Chaudhary had earlier led the field with an impressive score of 583-21x, narrowly edging Haryana's Kamaljeet Choudhary on countback.
However, finals often present a completely different challenge, and Sarabjot once again demonstrated why he has become one of India's most dependable performers on the international stage.
His victory adds further momentum to an already impressive season as India prepares for major assignments, including the Asian Games and ISSF World Cup events.
The women's 10m air pistol final produced arguably the most dramatic finish of the competition. Army shooter Lakshita entered the final as the lowest-ranked qualifier after squeezing into eighth place with a qualification score of 573-19x. Few would have predicted that she would emerge as champion.
Yet the Army shooter delivered when it mattered most. Lakshita held her nerve through the elimination stages and eventually edged Haryana's Surbhi Rao by the narrowest of margins. She finished with 240.0, while Surbhi settled for 239.8. The difference of just 0.2 points highlighted the quality of the contest.
Uttar Pradesh's Mansi Anand secured third place with a score of 220.2, while ISSF World Cup Final silver medallist Sainyam finished fourth. The event also witnessed surprises as both Suruchi and Palak, despite qualifying for the final, did not start. Meanwhile, Olympian Manu Bhaker topped qualification but could only finish sixth in the final, underlining the unpredictable nature of shooting finals.
Akhil Sheoran Prevails in Rifle Thriller
The men's 50m rifle 3 positions competition produced another nail-biting finish. Former World Championship medallist Akhil Sheoran showcased his experience and composure to narrowly defeat Navy shooter Niraj Kumar in a contest that went right down to the final shots. Akhil finished with 358.3, while Niraj ended just 0.2 points behind on 358.1.
World Championship medallist Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar completed the podium with a score of 345.4. The victory was particularly impressive considering Akhil had only qualified fifth for the final with a score of 587-30x. In contrast, Aishwary entered the medal round as qualification topper after shooting 591-35x.
However, Akhil produced his best shooting when it mattered most and converted his opportunity into a valuable victory.
The women's 50m rifle 3 positions event witnessed another high-quality battle, with Maharashtra's Sakshi Sunil Padekar emerging victorious. Sakshi finished with 358.2 to edge Karnataka's Tilottama Sen, who shot 357.8. Madhya Pradesh's Ashi Chouksey secured third place with 345.5. The final featured several accomsplished shooters, including Olympians Anjum Moudgil and Sift Kaur Samra. However, Sakshi maintained consistency throughout the contest to secure the title.
Her performance was especially notable because she had qualified third with a score of 589-36x before raising her level further in the medal round.
Beyond the medals, the T4 trials continue to play a crucial role in shaping India's shooting squads for the remainder of the international season. The latest national rankings show Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve leading the men's 10m air pistol standings, while Suruchi remains the top-ranked shooter in the women's event. In rifle shooting, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar continues to lead the men's 50m rifle 3 positions rankings, while Ashi Chouksey heads the women's standings.
With only the 50m rifle prone events remaining, selectors now have one final opportunity to assess the country's leading shooters before finalising squads for upcoming international competitions.
For Sarabjot Singh, Lakshita, Akhil Sheoran and Sakshi Padekar, Tuesday's victories could not have come at a better time. Each delivered under pressure when selection stakes were highest, strengthening their cases ahead of a crucial year for Indian shooting on the global stage.
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