India opened its medal account at the ISSF Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun World Cup in Hangzhou on Friday as Saiyam bagged a silver medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event.The 22-year-old from Chandigarh had a solid performance in the final and finished second with a strong performance of 243.4 points. She advanced to the eight-person final with a score of 579 points.Seyam entered the tournament on the back of good domestic form. At the national trials held in New Delhi, she won the women’s 10-meter air pistol qualifying 2 final with a score of 243.1 points. She also won a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup finals in Doha earlier this year.The Chandigarh striker has made steady progress at the international level over the past few years. In 2023, she won gold medals at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sur and the ISSF Junior World Championship in Changwon. She also made it to the podium at the India Khelo Youth Games.National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said: “Seniyam’s podium finish in Hangzhou is a testament to her dedication and technical discipline on the world stage. Competing against the top international arena requires great composure and her performance reflects the high standards she has always aspired to.”Suruchi Inder Singh was another Indian to reach the finals. She finished seventh in qualifying with a 579-20x score of 137.6.In the qualifying round, Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker had the highest score among Indian shooters with 582 for 12 runs in RPO (ranking points only) status.Esha Singh is ranked 13th with a score of 577-22x, while Lakshita has a score of 572-14x in every RPO event.
