Samrat Rana becomes India's first world champion in 10m air pistol

Samrat Rana, a 20-year-old shooter from Karnal, created history at the ISSF World Championships in Cairo on Monday by becoming India's first world champion in an Olympic pistol discipline. Rana's remarkable performance in the men's 10m air pistol event also secured India the team gold, reaffirming the country's growing stature in international shooting.

Rana held his nerve in a tense final to post a winning score of 243.7, narrowly edging out China's Hu Kai, who finished with 243.3. "I still can't believe it," Rana said after his victory. "Cairo has always been special for me. I won two medals here at the Junior World Championships in 2022. I like the ambience and was just trying to focus on my technique with every shot towards the end."

The men's final witnessed frequent changes in lead among Rana, Hu Kai, and fellow Indian shooter Varun Tomar. Rana's composure in the closing stages proved decisive, with Tomar claiming the bronze with a score of 221.7. This marked the first time two Indian shooters stood on the podium in the same event at the World Championships.