Manu Bhaker, Suruchi Inder Singh falter as India's wait for Olympic quota continues

Manu Bhaker and Suruchi Inder Singh missed out on individual medals and Olympic quota places in the women's 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Championships. India, however, secured team silver, with Manu, Suruchi and Sainyam combining for 1,738 points.Manu Bhaker missed a chance to directly qualify for Los Angeles Olympics. Courtesy: PTINew Delhi,Nov 5, 2026 19:53 ISTIndia’s search for an individual Olympic quota at the ISSF World Championships continued on Thursday after Manu Bhaker and Suruchi Inder Singh failed to convert their qualification performances into podium finishes in the women’s 10m air pistol event.Manu, a double bronze medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finished fifth in the eight-shooter final with 179.9 points. Suruchi, an Asian Games mixed team gold medallist and multiple-time World Cup gold medallist, placed sixth with 158.3 points. Neither managed to secure a quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.China enjoyed a successful outing, with Jiang Ranxin winning gold with 242.4 points and compatriot Yao Qianxun taking silver with 242.1. Hungary’s Veronika Major claimed bronze with 222.1. All three podium finishers also secured Olympic quota places. Courtesy: ISSF Youtube screengrab HOW MANU AND SURUCHI PERFORMED IN FINALManu had to work her way back into contention after an indifferent beginning to the final. Her scores fluctuated between 8.8 and 10.7, preventing her from building a sustained challenge for the medals. She was eventually eliminated after the 18th shot. Suruchi's challenge ended even earlier. Despite making the final as the eighth qualifier, she struggled to find consistency, with several shots in the 8s and 9s proving costly. She bowed out after the 16th shot, leaving India without an individual podium finish or quota place in the event. Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the ISSF women’s 10m air pistol event. Courtesy: ISSF Youtube screengrab There was, however, a silver lining for the Indian contingent. Manu, Suruchi and Sainyam combined to win the team silver medal with a total of 1,738 points. China secured gold with 1,745 points. The team medals are decided on the combined qualification scores of the three shooters and do not carry Olympic quota places. Manu had produced a strong recovery in qualification to book her place in the final. After opening with two series of 95, she raised her game with scores of 98, 100, 96 and 99 to finish third with 583 points.Suruchi scraped through in eighth place with 580, registering scores of 97, 95, 96, 97, 97 and 98. China's Jiang topped qualification with 585, while Sainyam finished 22nd with 575. Her contribution, though, proved important in India's team silver-winning effort.The championships mark the first major shooting competition offering individual quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. India will now look to other events for a breakthrough, having yet to secure an individual medal or an Olympic quota in an Olympic discipline at the showpiece.- Ends