Steady aim, strong finish: Patil delivers composed performance to win air rifle gold

Bhopal: Maharashtra’s Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil delivered a masterclass in precision, clinching the gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle Men ISSF event at the 24th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship on Friday. Held at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy, the competition showcased India’s rising shooting stars.Patil topped the final with a stellar 252.9, edging out Haryana’s Rohit Kanyan, who settled for silver with 251.9 in a nail-biting finish. West Bengal’s Baiduriya Biswas grabbed bronze at 230.8, while Uttar Pradesh’s Karamjeet Singh placed fourth with 209.6.In qualification, Delhi’s Paarth Makhija led with 633.4, followed by Railways’ Shahu Tushar Mane (630.0), Gujarat’s Gajjar Krish Jigneshbhai (627.8), and Patil (627.7).The junior men’s category saw West Bengal’s Ashmit Chatterjee rise to the occasion, securing gold with 251.0. Uttar Pradesh’s Piyush Sharma took silver at 250.5 in a razor-thin margin, with Kanyan earning bronze (229.1) and Singh fourth (207.9). Qualification was dominated by Sharma’s 631.7, ahead of Chatterjee (631.1), Kanyan (630.4), and Singh (629.9).In youth men’s, West Bengal’s Abhinav Shaw dominated with a commanding 254.4 for gold. Haryana’s Priyanshu clinched silver (249.7), teammate Jatin Lamba bronze (228.1), and Kanyan fourth (207.1). Haryana’s Pranav Jindal topped qualification at 626.1, followed by Krish Kumar (626.0), Rajasthan’s Nemi Chand Dudi (625.9), and Uttar Pradesh’s Jyotiraditya Gosain (625.7).The championships highlighted fierce interstate rivalry, with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh shooters featuring prominently across categories. Patil’s victory underscores Maharashtra’s growing prowess in the discipline.