Vivaan Kapoor and Olympian Anantjeet Singh Naruka gave India plenty to celebrate on the final day of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi. (More Sports News)
Kapoor secured a silver medal in the men’s trap, his first individual ISSF medal at the senior level -- while Naruka claimed bronze in the men’s skeet.
These two shotgun medals brought India's medal tally to four, with two silver and two bronze, placing them ninth overall.
China topped the standings with five golds and three bronze medals. Italy, Germany, France, Hungary, Denmark, San Marino, and the USA also secured golds, with Italy finishing second overall (three silvers and a bronze) and Germany third (two silvers and one gold).
Out of the 37 participating nations, 14 made it to the medal table in this prestigious ISSF season finale.
Vivaan Kapoor: A Rising Contender for LA 2028
Kapoor’s success in the men’s trap final owes much to the efforts of his coach, former world champion Khaled Almudaf of Kuwait. Under his guidance, he delivered a stunning performance in a highly competitive field that included two Olympic champions, the Paris Olympic silver medallist, and a former world champion.
Kapoor, unfazed by the elite competition, shot with remarkable focus in the 50-shot final, finishing second with 44 hits. China’s Qi Ying, the Paris silver medallist, claimed gold with 47, while Turkiye’s Tolga Tuncer secured bronze.
Reflecting on his achievement, Vivaan humbly remarked, “It was all God’s grace and my coach’s efforts,” after what was undoubtedly an inspiring performance.
In a thrilling conclusion to the ISSF World Cup Final, Samantha Simonton of the USA clinched gold in women’s skeet with a score of 56, narrowly surpassing Italy’s legendary double Olympic champion Diana Bacosi, who finished with 54. France’s Lucie Anastassiou claimed bronze.
Meanwhile, in the women’s trap, Alessandra Perilli of San Marino secured gold with a dominant performance, scoring 45 in the final, finishing six points ahead of Italy’s Erica Sessa, who took silver. Turkiye’s Safiye Temizdemir rounded off the podium with bronze.
