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Asian Shooting Championships 2023: Anish Bhanwala earns Paris 2024 Olympics quota

Anish Bhanwala performed exceptionally during the qualification round which earned him the third place with a score of 588.

By Abhiruchi Rout | Oct 30, 2023 | 2 Min Read

At the Asian Shooting Championships 2023 in Changwon, Republic of Korea, on October 30, 2023, Indian marksman Anish Bhanwala showcased his shooting prowess by earning the bronze medal in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol category. His performance not only earned him a spot on the podium but also garnered India its twelfth Olympic quota for the Paris Olympics 2024. This also marked the nation’s first quota in this particular shooting discipline.

How did Anish Bhanwala perform in the final?

The 21-year-old from India, Anish Bhanwala, who was previously the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, registered a score of 28 out of a possible 35 in the final round. He narrowly missed out on silver in a tiebreaker against Japan’s Dai Yoshioka, who ended the round with a score of 33 out of 40. The gold medal was claimed by the host nation’s Lee Gunhyeok, who finished with an impressive score of 34 out of 40.

The Asian Shooting Championships 2023 is serving as a critical gateway to the Paris Olympics, offering 24 quotas across 12 events. These quotas are allocated to the top two finishers from different countries in each of the twelve shooting events at the championship. Both Yoshioka and Lee had previously secured Olympic quotas for their respective nations which set the stage for Bhanwala to claim one quota for India.

Anish Bhanwala performed exceptionally during the qualification round which earned him the third place with a score of 588. This guaranteed him a spot in the medal match. Another Indian compatriot Bhavesh Shekhawat, who was shooting solely for ranking points, finished sixth in the qualifications with a score of 584. Vijayveer Sidhu and Gurpreet Singh followed, securing the tenth and fifteenth spots with scores of 581 and 577, respectively. While Adarsh Singh placed last among the Indian contingent with a score of 570 with a twenty-fifth finish.

How did the other Indians do in different shooting events?

However, the combined efforts of Anish Bhanwala, Vijayveer Sidhu, and Adarsh Singh resulted in a team bronze for India in the men’s 25m pistol event, with a collective score of 1739. They followed behind teams from China, who scored 1758, and South Korea, with 1748. However, in the trap shooting events, India faced challenges in adding to their Olympic quota tally. Veteran shooter Zoravar Singh Sandhu, after an exceptional qualifying round, could not maintain his momentum in the finals. Lakshay, Prithviraj Tondaiman, and Kynan Chenai delivered strong performances, contributing to India’s team silver with a combined score of 341, trailing behind Qatar’s 344 and just ahead of Iran’s 340.

In the women’s event, Olympic quota holder Rajeshwari Kumari, alongside Shagun Chowdhary, competed for ranking points, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. Preeti Rajak was the next best Indian with a tenth-place finish. Manisha Keer and Sabeera Haris concluded India’s participation with 17th and 21st place finishes.