Manu Bhaker has qualified for the women’s 10m air pistol final at the Asian Games 2026, taking place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The competition transpired on September 23, with Bhaker ranking third in the qualification round. Her performance included a total score of 579-20x across six series.

During the qualification, Bhaker began her initial series with a score of 95. However, she significantly improved her performance in later rounds, achieving scores of 96, 96, and 98 in the subsequent three series. This impressive comeback allowed her to secure a place among the top eight participants, with the final scheduled for 9 AM IST.

Indian Women’s Team Falls Short

Despite Bhaker’s successful qualification, India’s women’s 10m air pistol team narrowly missed out on a podium finish. The team ended in fourth place, falling short by just two inner-10 shots. This close result highlighted the intense competition faced by the Indian team during the event.

Esha Singh, who participated alongside Bhaker, concluded her qualification round with a score of 572 points, placing her in 16th position. Although she performed commendably with a strong finish, which included scores of 97, 97, and 96, it was not sufficient to propel her team onto the medal tally. Meanwhile, Suruchi Singh finished in 26th place, managing a score of 568 points, which ultimately affected the team’s chances of medalling.

Following this event, Esha Singh will shift her focus to the upcoming 25m sports pistol competition, aiming for a stronger performance there.

Broader Performance of Indian Athletes

On Day 4 of the Asian Games, Indian athletes participated in various sports disciplines, showcasing diverse talents. In rowing, Balraj Panwar secured third place in his men’s single sculls heat and placed fourth overall to qualify for the final. In tandem, the pair of Satnam Singh and Salman Khan finished second in the men’s doubles sculls heat, also advancing to the finals.

The canoe sprint event saw Harshwardhan Shaktawat, Varinder Singh, L Naocha Singh Oinam, and Arun Singh finish third in the men’s kayak four 500m heat, enabling their qualification for the final. Megha Pradeep’s performance in the women’s canoe single 200m heats earned her a fifth-place finish, granting her a spot in the semifinals as well.

Furthermore, in swimming, Benedicton Beniston achieved a fourth-place finish in his men’s 100m butterfly heat, ranking 13th overall. Sajan Prakash did not compete, both missing the final cut. Vedaant Madhavan and Aneesh Sunil performed in the men’s 200m freestyle heats, with their qualification status still pending.

Jaswinder Singh and Nitin Kumar advanced to Final B after finishing fourth in the men’s pair heats. Additionally, India’s women’s four rowing team, comprised of Gurbani Kaur, Aleena Anto, Tendenthoi Haobijam, and Poonam, also competed in their respective heats without securing a medal.

Upcoming Events for Indian Athletes

Looking towards the next events, India’s men’s badminton team, which has already secured a medal, is set to face China in the semifinals, aiming to progress to the final. Furthermore, Wushu athlete Roshibina Devi is preparing for her event scheduled on Wednesday, with hopes of reaching the final round in her category.

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