India’s Rahi Sarnobat competes during the rapid stage of the women’s 25m pistol qualification event in the ongoing 20th Asian Games, at the Aichi Prefectural Shooting Range in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 28, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Esha Singh won a hard-earned Asian Games silver, in more ways than one, in the 25m pistol on Monday (September 28, 2026). While the youngster deservedly got the appreciation, the spotlight was taken by technical issues and scoring controversies involving Rahi Sarnobat that perhaps cost the Indian team a gold.
Rahi’s first shot of the first series of the day was declared on the frame, resulting in a zero that all but ended India’s team medal hopes. She admitted that she was unable to process it.
“I am not sure of the exact details because of two things. When you hit the frame, there is a different sound from when you hit the target. I didn’t hear that, and a few shooters from other countries also said they did not hear a different sound. Secondly, target 21 showed there was an extra shot, but then showed an extra shot on target 20 as well. So, there was some confusion,” she said.
Rahi felt that while the judges went by the technical rules, there was no clarity. “They said the shot wasn’t showing on target, but there was an extra shot on target 21. Then, on target 20, they said there was an extra shot. Normally, in such cases, they check the back target, which had nine shots, but that again can happen when you have two shots at the same position. So, I don’t know.
“I have never shot so out of target in my life, not even when I first started shooting. It is very difficult to believe and accept, especially when your score is also counted for the team score. Individually, you can take responsibility for all the mistakes, but when it affects your fellow shooters, it becomes even more difficult,” a disappointed Rahi added, aware that India was in a strong medal position at the end of day one.
It was to Esha’s credit that she managed to focus on her individual game despite all this — including some technical glitches during the final — to stave off four shoot-offs before falling short by a single point.
“It was amazing. I have never had an experience like this before: I am grateful for every moment, even though it was nerve-racking. Things were not working out the way I wanted them to, but I kept my focus, fought till the end and tried my best,” she gushed.
Published – September 28, 2026 06:58 pm IST
