National Games: Fifteen-Year-Old Jonathan Antony Clinches Air Pistol Gold; Sift Kaur Samra Clinches Gold in 50m Rifle 3P Event

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In a stunning display at the National Games, Bengaluru's Jonathan Antony, just 15 years old, triumphed in the 10m air pistol event. He surpassed Paris Olympics bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh and the renowned Saurabh Chaudhary to claim gold.

Antony's journey began with a gold win at the CBSE South Zone Rifle Shooting Competition in 2022. His final score of 240.7 secured Karnataka's victory.

Jonathan's performance in the final was remarkable, overcoming seasoned competitors like Ravinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh. Ravinder claimed silver with a score of 240.3, while Gurpreet took bronze with 220.1. Sarabjot, who had previously won a bronze in the Paris Olympics mixed team event, finished fourth on this occasion.

Jonathan Antony's Remarkable Journey

The young marksman entered the final in eighth place with a score of 578. This achievement denied Olympian Saurabh Chaudhary a spot in the eight-shooter final, as both had identical scores but Chaudhary lost in the shoot-off, finishing ninth. Ravinder led the qualification round with 584 points, followed by Sarabjot with 583.

Despite some low-nine scores during the medal round, Jonathan remained composed and focused. This victory is his most significant achievement in the senior category so far. Previously, he had won gold in the junior mixed team event and bronze in the youth category.

"I'm thrilled with this win," said Antony. "Competing against such talented shooters who have represented India at the highest level makes this victory even more meaningful. Today was my day, and I'm proud of how it all came together."

Sift Kaur Samra Shines in Women's Event

In another highlight, Punjab's Sift Kaur Samra clinched gold in the women's 50m rifle 3-positions event with an impressive score of 461.2. She outperformed fellow Olympian Anjum Moudgil from Punjab, who scored 458.7 to take silver. Telangana's Surabhi Bharadwaj secured bronze with a score of 448.8.

Samra, an Asian Games gold medallist, excelled in the qualification round as well, finishing second behind Madhya Pradesh's Ashi Chouksey who scored 598. However, Ashi couldn't maintain her form in the final and ended up seventh.

"This feels like a comeback for me after the Olympics," Samra expressed. "I didn't take a break after Paris and kept training, so winning the gold today feels special."

Anjum Moudgil Reflects on Her Performance

Moudgil shared her thoughts on sharing the podium with Samra once again: "This is the third National Games where Sift and I have finished on the podium together. She's an extraordinary shooter, and I've always admired her."

Despite initial challenges with her scores, Moudgil remained calm and focused to secure her place on the podium. She praised the shooting range and organisation of the event as among the best she has experienced.

The National Games showcased exceptional talent and determination from India's shooters. Both Jonathan Antony and Sift Kaur Samra demonstrated their skills against formidable opponents, marking significant milestones in their careers.