Asian Shooting Championships: India’s Kapil Bainsla Clinches Gold, Jonathan Antony Takes Bronze

Shymkent, Kazakhstan – India’s Kapil Bainsla secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol men’s junior event at the Asian Shooting Championships 2025 on Monday. This impressive victory highlights a strong start for the Indian contingent, which also saw Jonathan Antony claim a bronze in the same event.

Kapil Bainsla’s Golden Performance

The young Indian shooter, Kapil Bainsla, showcased remarkable composure in the final round. Despite finishing fourth in the qualifying round with a score of 579 – 15x, he surged ahead in the medal match.

Key Moments in the Final:

• A Close Contest: The final was a tight battle, primarily between Bainsla and Uzbekistan’s Ilkhombek Obidjonov.
• Clutch Final Shots: In a thrilling finish, Bainsla fired a crucial 10.8 and a 10.6 on his final two shots. These high-scoring shots allowed him to overtake Obidjonov and secure the top spot with a total of 243.0.
• Obidjonov’s Finish: His Uzbek competitor, after leading for parts of the final, managed 10.4 and 9.4 on his last two shots, finishing with 242.4 to take the silver.
• Antony’s Consistent Bronze: India’s Jonathan Antony displayed consistent form, particularly in the qualifying where he finished second with 582 – 20x. In the final, he maintained his focus, hitting six 9s in as many series to clinch the bronze medal with a total of 220.7.⁷ Mukesh Nelavalli, another Indian, finished sixth in the final with 157.8.

Earlier in the qualifying round, South Korea’s Kim Dooyeon topped the sheet with 582 – 26x, followed by Jonathan Antony and Mukesh Nelavalli.

Indian Team Success and Other Events

The success extended beyond the junior individual event:

• Men’s Team Silver: The Indian team comprising Anmol Jain, Saurabh Chaudhary, and Aditya Malra secured a silver medal in the 10m air pistol men’s team event, tallying 1735-52x. China clinched the gold with 1744-51x, while Iran took bronze.
• Men’s Individual Event: In the senior 10m air pistol men’s event, Anmol Jain finished sixth in the final with a total of 155.1. China’s Hu Kai (241.6) won gold, with Korea’s Hong Suhyeon and Iran’s Amir Joharikhou taking silver and bronze respectively. Amit Sharma, who topped the qualifying with 588 – 24x, was competing for Ranking Points Only (RPO) and thus could not advance to the medal round.