ISSF World Cup Final 2025: Eight Indian Shooters Qualify; 19-Year-Old Suruchi Singh In Women’s 10m Air Pistol Team

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New Delhi, Sep 17: India on Wednesday (September 17) confirmed an eight-strong contingent for the ISSF World Cup Final 2025 in Doha (Dec 4-9), a line-up that mixes seasoned Olympians and rising youngsters and underlines the country's sustained strength across rifle and pistol events. 19-year-old air pistol shooter, Suruchi Singh, has also made it to the squad that will participate in the Qatari capital.

Scheduled for December 04-09, the year-ending showpiece brings together the world's best, and India's representation is a powerful mix of seasoned champions and emerging stars. While the legendary double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker remains a cornerstone, qualifying in both the women's 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events, it is the remarkable ascent of young Suruchi that has captured the imagination of the sporting world.

Suruchi's journey to Doha has been nothing short of a fairytale. The teenage sensation has emerged as the breakout star of the year, bagging three consecutive gold medals in the women's 10m air pistol events at the Buenos Aires, Lima, and Munich World Cups. This extraordinary run of form not only secured her a spot at the Finals but also catapulted her to the coveted world number one ranking in her discipline-a feat that speaks volumes of her talent and composure under pressure.

Joining Suruchi and Manu in the women's 10m air pistol event is Olympian Esha Singh, who booked her berth with a gold medal at the final World Cup stage in Ningbo, China. This trio represents a formidable pistol powerhouse for India, demonstrating the depth of talent in this category.

India's success, however, is not limited to a single discipline. In the men's 10m air rifle, former world champion Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil and Olympian Arjun Babuta have both secured their places, riding on the back of gold and silver medal-winning performances, respectively, at the Buenos Aires and Lima World Cups. Their presence ensures India's continued dominance in the rifle events.

The contingent also features reigning Asian Champion and world-record holder Sift Kaur Samra, who will compete in the women's 50m rifle three positions (3P) event. Her gold medal in Buenos Aires underlined her elite status. Meanwhile, Olympian Vijayveer Sidhu will aim for glory in the men's 25m rapid-fire pistol after a brilliant gold-winning effort at the same venue. Rounding off the list of qualifiers is Simranpreet Kaur Brar, who secured her entry in the women's 25m pistol event with a silver in Lima, a testament to her perseverance and skill.

This impressive list of qualifiers is a direct result of India's sensational campaign across the four World Cup stages in 2025. The team collected a total of 22 medals, including 9 golds, 6 silvers, and 7 bronzes, to finish second overall in the Rifle/Pistol standings.

With more opportunities for Indian athletes to qualify at the upcoming World Championships, the contingent for Doha could get even stronger. As the young guns lead the way, the stage is set for a landmark performance at the ISSF World Cup Final.