ISSF World Cup 2025: Sift Kaur Samra Shoots India's First Gold in Buenos Aires, Triumphs in Women's 50m Rifle 3-Positions

Add as a preferred source on Google

Sift Kaur Samra bagged India's first gold medal at the ISSF World Cup 2025 Buenos Aires, topping the podium in the women's 50m rifle 3-positions event with a score of 458.6 on Thursday (April 4).

The 23-year-old Paris Olympian Sift delivered a composed and clinical performance in the final, winning her first World Cup gold, while Germany's Anita Mangold won the silver with 455.3 (587) and Kazakhstan's Arina Altukhova took the bronze with 445.9 (588).

Sift topped the qualification with a score of 590-35x. Sift made a remarkable comeback from 8th place after the Kneeling and Prone positions, turning the final around with a stellar performance in the Standing position, which allowed her to pull ahead and secure the top spot.

Two other Indians failed two qualify for the final as Ashi Chouksey finished 17th with a score of 579, while Shriyanka Sadangi shot 572 to finish 22nd. Two more Indians Manini Kaushik (582) and Nischal (576) participated in the Ranking Points Only (RPO) category.

This was India's second medal of the day at the ongoing Shooting World Cup event, adding to the bronze won by Chain Singh in the men's 50m rifle 3-positions event. Asian Games medallist shooter Chain notched up 443.7 points to settle for bronze.

Hungarian Istvan Peni won gold (461.0), his seventh ISSF top-podium finish, while China's Tian Jiaming (458.8) bagged the silver in the event. Two-time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Niraj Kumar also had qualified for the final, but could not make the podium.

In the final, Niraj started strongly and was placed second after the first-five shots in the 'Kneeling' position. But he soon faded away as Tomar and Chain picked up.

The Indian duo, which was fifth and sixth after the first 'Kneeling' position, moved up to third and fourth spots after a superb effort in the 'Prone' round. They held firm in the final 'Standing' position as Chain went on ensure a medal for India.

Tomar lost out on a medal after a 7.8 for his 41st shot, even as Peni and Tian were fighting solo battles for gold and silver respectively. This was Chain's first ISSF medal in three years.

Meanwhile, there was a mixed day for other Indian shooters in action on Friday (April 5), but double Olympic bronze medallist Manu Bhaker returned a score of 291/300 to lie fourth after the 'Precision' round in women's 25m pistol qualifiers.

Compatriot Simranpreet Kaur Brar was also in qualifying position, shooting 290 to be placed sixth. Esha Singh shot 285 to be a bit off the pace at 12th. Olympian skeet shooter Raiza Dhillon shot 71 after three rounds to lie seventh, just two off the lead.

After a disappointing opening day on Thursday (April 3), when India drew a blank in the men's 10m pistol event despite two shooters making the final, the medal account was opened on Friday (April 4).