Udhayveer Sidhu Clinches 10m Air Pistol Gold in Cairo
India's Udhayveer Sidhu clinched gold in the 10m Air Pistol at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo, edging out Germany's Christian Reitz in a dramatic finish.
India’s Udhayveer Sidhu has secured a spectacular gold medal in the Men's 10m Air Pistol at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Cairo, Egypt. The 24-year-old shooter demonstrated immense composure under pressure, winning the title in a high-stakes showdown on Sunday.
A Dramatic Final Shootout
The medal match was a nail-biting affair that came down to the very last shots. Udhayveer finished with a total score of 240.6, narrowly defeating Germany’s multi-Olympic medallist Christian Reitz. Reitz, who finished with 240.1, took home the silver medal.
The victory was secured through sheer mental strength. Entering the final two shots, Sidhu was trailing Reitz by 0.3 points. However, the Indian shooter maintained his focus, firing a 10.2 and a 9.8. Meanwhile, Reitz struggled to keep pace, recording twin scores of 9.6, which allowed Sidhu to snatch the victory on the final shot.
Qualification and Other Results
Earlier in the competition, Udhayveer had qualified for the eight-man final in fourth position, posting a total score of 585 across six series (99, 98, 98, 97, 97, 96).
The podium was completed by Italy's Paolo Monna, who secured the bronze medal with a score of 219.8.
Other notable performances from the Indian contingent included:
- Jonathan Gavin Antony: Shot an impressive 586 in the RPO section, tying for the top qualification score with Monna.
- Ajendra Singh Chauhan: Finished in 14th place with 580.
- Sarabjot Singh: Placed 31st with 574.
- Kumar Yogesh: Posted 573 in the RPO section.
Global Competition in Cairo
The final was highly competitive, featuring Paris 2024 Olympic medallist Yusuf Dikec from Turkey, who finished in seventh place with 138.0. The event, held from October 8 to October 16, 2026, showcases a mix of seasoned Olympians and rising stars from around the world.
India's 24-member contingent in Cairo is led by Olympic bronze medallists Swapnil Suresh Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, competing across eight individual Olympic disciplines and two mixed team events.