India continued its strong performance at the second World Deaf Shooting Championship in Hanover, Germany, adding two more medals to its tally on the fifth day of competition. Mahit Sandhu, a rising star in Indian shooting, secured her second gold medal of the tournament in the women’s 50m rifle prone event. This victory adds to her earlier gold in the mixed 10m air rifle and silver in the 10m air rifle individual event. Sandhu’s consistent performance showcased her incredible talent and dedication. She dominated the final round with a score of 247.4, surpassing Hungary’s Mira Biatovszki by a comfortable margin of 2.2 points. Sandhu had already qualified for the finals by topping the qualification round with a score of 617.8. Another Indian shooter, Natasha Joshi, participated in the event, finishing seventh in the finals.
In the men’s 25m pistol event, Abhinav Deshwal secured a silver medal, narrowly missing out on gold. He was neck-and-neck with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Kolodii throughout the final series, both tied at 37 after the ninth round. However, in the decisive tenth round, Deshwal scored four points while Kolodii secured a perfect five, resulting in Deshwal taking home the silver. Earlier in the championship, Deshwal had also earned silver in the 10m pistol individual, mixed, and team events, demonstrating his consistent performance and prowess. Other Indian shooters, Shubham Vashist and Chetan Sapkal, finished fifth and seventh respectively in the 25m pistol event.
With these two medals, India’s overall medal count at the World Deaf Shooting Championship now stands at an impressive 15, comprising four gold, seven silver, and four bronze medals. This achievement highlights India’s dominance in the competition and emphasizes the incredible talent within the country’s deaf shooting community.
