Epic fightback: Indian Duo Wins junior World Cup Gold
- By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
- Sep 30, 2025
- 562
It was a final to remember at the ISSF Junior World Cup on Tuesday, as two Indian teams locked horns in a pulsating 10m air rifle mixed team gold medal match that kept the packed gallery on its feet till the very last shot.
Down 9-15 and staring at defeat, the pair of Isha Taksale and Himanshu staged a remarkable comeback against Junior Asian champions Shambhavi Kshirsagar and Naraen Pranav, clinching four straight series to snatch the title 17-15.
The contest was a showcase of nerve, precision, and resilience. Shambhavi and Naraen needed just a single point to secure the gold, but their rivals refused to yield. Even high-quality series scores of 21 points—where both shooters averaged 10.5—were not safe. Across the 16 series, both teams registered 21 points or more on 15 occasions.
Himanshu and Isha combined for nine such high-scoring series, including the last three that sealed the gold. Individually, Himanshu shot 10.5 or higher in 10 of his 16 attempts, while Isha achieved it nine times. There were three perfect 10.9s in the match—two from Shambhavi and one from Isha.
The drama peaked in the closing moments. “There was so much screaming in the hall before the last shot, the claps and shouts kept coming, it was fun,” said an elated Isha. “My heart was racing, but I stayed calm in my final shot.”
For Himanshu, already buoyed by his gold in the individual 10m air rifle, it was all about belief. “You can never give up in sports. One shot can change everything. We never thought we had lost the gold,” he said. “At 15-15, our coach told us to just keep going, and that gave us a push.”
Shambhavi and Naraen, though heartbroken, showed grace in defeat. “It was a great experience for us. I knew we were capable, but there was always that thought of what if,” admitted Naraen, who had earlier won silver in Suhl with Khyaty Chaudhary.
The all-Indian final not only highlighted the depth of talent in the junior ranks but also gave the home crowd a spectacle of grit and sportsmanship that will be remembered for years.