Anantjeet Singh Naruka, representing India, captured gold in the men’s skeet event at the 16th Asian Shooting Championships held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, on August 20, 2025.
Scoring 57 out of 60 in the final, Naruka narrowly defeated Kuwait’s Mansour Al-Rashidi, who scored 56, with Qatari competitor Ali Ahmed Al-Ishaq securing bronze. This marks Naruka’s first individual gold at this prestigious continental event, complementing his earlier team and mixed event successes.
Indian officials and shooting enthusiasts hailed this achievement as a defining moment for India’s progressing stature in Asian shooting sports.
Excellence at the Asian Stage: Naruka’s Journey to Gold
Anantjeet Singh Naruka’s victory in Kazakhstan was a display of precision and mental toughness. During the final, Naruka hit 29 of 30 targets in the initial rounds, consistently maintaining a slender lead against a highly skilled field. His closest challenger was Mansour Al-Rashidi of Kuwait, a former Asian Games champion, who fell just one point short.
Qualifying second with a total of 119 during the five qualification rounds, Naruka improved upon his silver medal from the previous Asian Championships, where he also lost to Al-Rashidi by a single point. Naruka’s performance is a testament to his perseverance and growth, as he looks to build on his experience from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
His triumph was especially meaningful against the backdrop of stiff competition from powerhouse shooting nations such as China, South Korea, and Middle Eastern countries.
India’s Remarkable Showing and Team Dynamics
Alongside Naruka’s individual success, India continued to assert itself at the Asian Shooting Championships with a total medal tally of 19, including nine golds across different events, highlighting the country’s rising prominence in the sport. While Naruka stood out in the men’s skeet individual final, other Indian shooters, including Olympians Angad Vir Singh Bajwa, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, and Abhay Singh Sekhon, contributed valuable efforts though they did not reach individual finals.
The men’s shotgun team comprising Naruka, Gill, and Sekhon showcased solid teamwork by finishing sixth in the team skeet event.
Naruka attributed his gold medal to rigorous training and focus, emphasising the increasing competitiveness in Asian shooting. His success serves as a strong foundation for India’s ambitions in global shooting arenas.
Anantjeet Singh Naruka’s victory also highlights the growing infrastructure and support systems for shooting sports in India, which have improved significantly over recent years. His achievement is expected to inspire increased investments and grassroots participation in shooting disciplines nationwide.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Anantjeet Singh Naruka’s gold medal win transcends mere athletic achievement; it symbolizes the virtues of dedication, resilience, and national pride. In a world often dominated by conflict, sporting triumphs like Naruka’s shine a light on peaceful competition and international respect. Through stories of such victories, we see how sports create spaces of camaraderie and mutual understanding across diverse cultures. The Logical Indian celebrates this spirit, recognising that successes on the sporting field bolster social harmony and foster positive cultural exchanges.
Naruka’s victory at the Asian Shooting Championships is a milestone in Indian sports history, reinforcing the country’s growing influence in competitive shooting and inspiring future generations to pursue excellence grounded in discipline and respect for diverse sporting cultures.
ANANTJEET SINGH NARUKA IS ASIAN CHAMPION
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) August 21, 2025
– First Gold Medal for India at Asian C'ship 2025 🥇
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