Nagoya: Manu Bhaker booked her place in the women’s 10m air pistol final at the Asian Games 2026 after shooting 579-20x in the qualification round on Wednesday. The Indian shooter finished third among the qualifiers to enter the medal round at the continental event.

Bhaker’s qualification performance came on Day 4 of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she recovered strongly after a relatively modest opening series. The 24-year-old Indian finished the qualification stage inside the top eight and will now compete for an individual medal in the 10m air pistol final.

The qualification result also kept India’s hopes alive in the event after the country’s women’s 10m air pistol team narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth.

Bhaker scores 579 to make the final

Bhaker accumulated 579 points with 20 inner-10 shots across six series. She began her qualification campaign with a score of 95 but quickly found her rhythm and produced stronger numbers as the competition progressed.

Her final three series were particularly impressive. Bhaker recorded scores of 96, 96 and 98 to move firmly into the qualification places and finish third overall.

The consistency during the latter part of the qualification round proved important as she secured her place among the eight shooters who advanced to the final.

The 10m air pistol final is scheduled for 9 am IST on Wednesday, giving Bhaker an immediate opportunity to compete for an Asian Games medal.

Indian team misses medal by narrow margin

While Bhaker advanced to the individual final, India’s women’s 10m air pistol team narrowly missed a podium finish. The Indian trio finished fourth, missing out on a medal by just two inner-10 shots.

Esha Singh finished 16th in the individual qualification with 572 points. She produced a strong finish to her six-series qualification, recording scores of 97, 97 and 96 in her final three series.

Suruchi Singh finished 26th with 568 points. She recorded 93 points in her final series, while her overall performance contributed to India’s fourth-place finish in the team event.

Esha will now shift her focus to the 25m sports pistol event at the Games.

Bhaker carries India’s shooting hopes

Bhaker’s qualification adds another significant chapter to India’s shooting campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Shooting has already provided India with several medals during the early stages of the Games.

India’s shooting contingent has been among the country’s leading medal contributors, with athletes competing across rifle, pistol and shotgun events. The country’s early success has included medals in the 10m air rifle events, while the women’s skeet team also secured a bronze medal.

Bhaker’s progression to the 10m air pistol final gives India another opportunity to add to that tally.

The Indian shooter arrived at the Asian Games with considerable international experience. She was India’s female flagbearer at the opening ceremony alongside Pawan Sehrawat.

A major event after Olympic success

The Asian Games 2026 marks another major international competition for Bhaker following her historic performance at the Paris Olympics.

At the Paris Games, Bhaker became the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. She claimed bronze in the women’s individual 10m air pistol and another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event alongside Sarabjot Singh.

Her Olympic success has made her one of the most closely followed members of India’s shooting contingent. The Asian Games therefore provide another major stage for her to compete against the leading shooters from across the continent.

Ahead of the Games, Bhaker had also urged fellow Indian athletes to remain focused on their competitions and enjoy the opportunity to participate at the continental event.

Focus turns to the medal round

Bhaker’s qualification score of 579-20x was enough to put her third in the standings and secure a place in the final. However, the qualification result does not decide the medals, with the final providing a fresh contest for the shooters who have progressed.

Her strong finish to the qualification round will provide confidence heading into the medal round. After opening with 95, Bhaker improved across the later series and closed with a 98, her highest series score of the qualification stage.

The final will determine the medal positions, with Bhaker now having the opportunity to challenge for the podium.

For India, the focus will also remain on the wider shooting schedule, with several events still to come at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. The country’s shooters have already contributed substantially to the medal tally, and Bhaker’s qualification gives the contingent another chance to add to its haul.

India continues busy Day 4 campaign

Bhaker’s qualification was one of several developments for India on Day 4 of the Asian Games.

Indian athletes were also competing in rowing, canoe sprint and swimming. Balraj Panwar progressed to the men’s single sculls final, while Satnam Singh and Salman Khan advanced in the men’s double sculls. India’s men’s kayak four also qualified for its final, while Megha Pradeep moved into the women’s canoe single 200m semi-finals.

The day’s programme also featured Indian athletes in several other disciplines as the contingent continued its medal campaign.

With Bhaker now through to the 10m air pistol final, shooting will remain one of the key areas of attention for Indian supporters on Wednesday.

Conclusion

Manu Bhaker has qualified for the women’s 10m air pistol final at the Asian Games 2026 after shooting 579-20x to finish third in qualification. Her strong finish, including a 98 in her final series, secured her place among the top eight. India’s women’s 10m air pistol team finished fourth, narrowly missing a medal by two inner-10 shots. Bhaker will now compete for an individual medal in the final.