Hangzhou [China], July 24 (ANI): Indian shooter Sainyam clinched the silver medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Hangzhou, China, opening India's medal tally at the tournament.

Delivering a composed performance in the high-stakes final, Sainyam registered a score of 243.4 to secure the podium finish against an elite global field. She had earlier qualified for the final with a score of 579, according to a release.

Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President, NRAI, praised her effort, 'Sainyam's podium finish in Hangzhou is a testament to her dedication and technical discipline on the world stage. Competing against a top-tier international field requires immense composure, and her performance reflects the high standards she consistently strives for. We commend her hard work and wish her continued success.'

Pawankumar Singh, Secretary General, NRAI, added, 'Sainyam's progression from winning medals at the junior level to standing on senior World Cup podiums demonstrates her growth as an elite shooter. Her resilience under pressure continues to inspire young athletes coming through our domestic system.'

Her strong showing in Hangzhou builds on exceptional domestic form, where she topped the 10m Air Pistol Trial 2 (T2) finals at the National Selection Trials in New Delhi with a score of 243.1. That domestic victory reinforced her momentum following her silver medal performance at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha.

The 22-year-old shooter from Chandigarh has enjoyed a steady rise through the international ranks. Having previously won gold medals at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl and the ISSF Junior World Championships in Changwon in 2023, along with a podium finish at the Khelo India Youth Games, she continues to solidify her place in the senior national setup.

Other Indian results in the event: Suruchi Inder Singh also reached the eight-woman final, finishing seventh with a score of 137.6 after qualifying with 579-20x. In qualification, Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker posted the top score among the Indian contingent with 582-12x while competing under RPO (Ranking Points Only) status. Esha Singh finished 13th with 577-22x, while Lakshita recorded 572-14x in her RPO outing. (ANI)