Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar Back With Asian Championship Gold

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Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar asserted his redemption story in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, on Sunday by winning the gold in men's 50m rifle 3 positions with commanding performance which was his first medal after the disappointing Paris Olympics campaign.

Madhya Pradesh's 24 year old shooter, who finished 11th in Paris Olympics qualification rounds, produced a masterclass in consistency with 462.5 points to beat China's Wenyu Zhao by 0.5 points. Japan's Naoya Okada won bronze with 445.8 points in the grueling 45 shot final.

"This medal is a morale booster, as this is the first medal I have won after the Paris Games stint," said Tomar to Times of India, after his last shot, and in a distinct tone of relief. The former world No. 1 shooter was in control from the very beginning, gaining an early lead with good kneeling shots and never letting it slip even after a poor prone series.".

The victory marks Tomar's second Asian Championships gold in the event, having won it before in 2023, where he also contented with silver behind compatriot Akhil Sheoran in 2024. The triumph keeps the streak of victories from India at the championships, who are leading in the medal table at 23 golds.

Tomar is from Ratanpur village, Khargone district. He trained to shoot his cousin after going hunting with his father. Having begun training in 2015 at the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy, he has now represented India twice at the Olympics and maintains junior world records. His progress from farm community origins to Olympic selection reflects India's growing prowess in shooting, and this recent gold validates his return to top form for upcoming international events.