Shooting Competition
ANISH SHOOTS HIS WAY TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SILVER
ANISH SHOOTS HIS WAY TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SILVER
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Cairo, Egypt
In an impressive display of skill and composure, Olympian Anish Bhanwala secured silver in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship Rifle/Pistol held in Cairo. This accomplishment marks his first senior individual world championship medal and highlights his rise in the competitive shooting scene. Anish, just 23 years old, faced a grueling competition day two, characterized by multiple shoot-offs that tested his mental fortitude and precision.
On this exhilarating day, Anish started with determination, qualifying for the six-man final in second place after delivering a remarkable score of 585-22x over two days of competition. He began the finals with a flawless performance, immediately setting a competitive tone with a perfect series, followed by two series in which he confidently hit four out of five targets.
However, the journey to silver was not without its challenges. As the competition progressed, he found himself in a tense situation where he had to engage in a double shoot-off for fourth place against Emanuel Mueller from Germany. Remarkably, Anish maintained his composure and secured victory with four hits in the second round of the shoot-off, showcasing his ability to perform under pressure.
The stakes became even higher as he entered yet another shoot-off against Maksym Horodynets of Ukraine for the bronze medal position. After matching Horodynets’s score of four hits each, Anish triumphed again, demonstrating an impressive capacity for calmness and accuracy in high-stress situations.
Ultimately, Anish faced Clement Bessaguet of France in the final series for the gold medal. The French shooter had already set a formidable benchmark with a score of 29. Despite needing a perfect series to challenge for gold, Anish could only manage three hits. This was enough to confirm Bessaguet’s victory, cementing his status as consecutive medal holders at this championship.
Anish expressed his elation and disbelief in a post-match interview with ISSF, explaining, “It is difficult to explain in words but the feeling is completely unreal.” He attributed his success to thorough preparation, indicating that this time, his training had paid off when it mattered most. Additionally, this silver medal win also ensured that Anish would compete again soon, as he has qualified for the World Cup Final slated to take place in Doha next month.
The day was not without disappointment for other competitors representing India. In the Air Rifle mixed teams event, the duo of Arjun Babuta and Elavenil Valarivan could not advance to the medal matches, finishing in eighth place with a score of 632.3. Their performance was very close, as they fell short by just 1.6 points from the fourth-place pair. Meanwhile, the second pairing of Rudrankksh Patil and Shreya Agrawal ended in 21st place with a combined score of 628.8.
Anish’s growth as an athlete has been followed with great interest within the shooting sports community. His silver medal serves not only as a personal achievement but also represents a significant moment for Indian shooting on the world stage. With prospects for the World Cup Final approaching, there is optimism surrounding his potential to clinch further accolades.
Anish Bhanwala's recent silver medal in Cairo signals a rising trend of competitive success for India in shooting sports, reflecting enhanced training methods and mental resilience among athletes. While the competition was fierce, his ability to withstand pressure and perform during critical moments underscores the evolution of performance coaching in the sport. As the shooting community eagerly awaits the World Cup Finals in Doha, all eyes will be on Anish to see if he can build on this momentum. Early reports suggest that his preparation and competitive spirit may lead to even greater accolades in the near future.