Tokyo
India ended its Deaflympics shooting campaign on a triumphant note, securing an impressive 16 medals across 10 days of competition in Tokyo. Despite a tough final day for Chetan Hanmant Sapkal, who finished sixth in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event, the Indian contingent stood out as the most dominant nation on the shooting ranges.
Chetan had entered the finals in third place with a strong qualification score of 564-5x, but an underwhelming start in the medal round saw him bow out first among the six finalists with eight points. South Korea’s Seung Hwa Lee claimed gold, Ukraine’s Serhii Ohorodnyk secured silver, and Korean shooter Tae Young Kim took bronze.
India’s overall tally included seven gold, six silver, and three bronze medals—an extraordinary leap from the five medals (three gold, two bronze) earned at the previous Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
Rifle ace Mahit Sandhu emerged as the standout performer of the campaign, securing four medals—two gold and two silver—cementing her status as India’s brightest star in the tournament. Pistol shooters Abhinav Deshwal and Pranjali Prashant Dhumal added to the shine, each collecting three medals, including two gold and one silver.
Dhanush Srikanth continued his strong international form by striking two gold medals in the 10m air rifle individual and mixed team events. Mohammed Murtaza Vania contributed a silver and a bronze, while Komal Milind Waghmare earned two bronze medals.
Other podium finishes included Anuya Prasad’s gold in the women’s 10m air pistol, Shourya Saini’s silver in the 50m three positions, and Kushagra Singh Rajawat’s bronze in the 50m rifle prone.
India’s stellar performance reaffirmed its growing strength in Deaflympics shooting and set a new benchmark for future contingents.
INDIA AT DEAFYMPICS SHOOTING – TOKYO 2025
Total Medals: 16
- 🥇 Gold: 7
- 🥈 Silver: 6
- 🥉 Bronze: 3
Top Performers:
- Mahit Sandhu: 4 medals (2 Gold, 2 Silver)
- Abhinav Deshwal: 2 Gold, 1 Silver
- Pranjali Dhumal: 2 Gold, 1 Silver
- Dhanush Srikanth: 2 Gold
Event Highlights:
- Total shooting medals available: 39
- India won 16, dominating the discipline
- Previous edition (Brazil): 5 medals (3 Gold, 2 Bronze)