India's shooting campaign at the 2026 Asian Games produced a notable turnaround story on September 25, as Suruchi Inder Singh and Kamaljeet won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Aichi General Shooting Range in Aichi Nagoya, Japan.
The Indian pair produced a score of 484.6 in the final to finish at the top of the standings. South Korea's Suhyeon Hong and Gaeun Choo won the silver medal with 478.0 points, while Iran's Vahid Golkhandan and Haniyeh Rostamiyan took bronze with 415.8 points. The Indian duo also set a new Asian record with their performance.
The gold medal was India's second at the 2026 Asian Games and India's first shooting gold of the competition. The result also highlighted Suruchi's ability to recover from an earlier setback in the individual 10m air pistol event.
Suruchi had competed in the women's individual 10m air pistol qualification earlier in the Games but did not progress to the final. She finished 26th among 55 competitors with a score of 568 and 12 inner tens. The result meant that she was unable to compete for an individual medal in the event.
However, the mixed team competition provided another opportunity. Suruchi teamed up with Kamaljeet and the pair performed strongly from the qualification stage. They eventually advanced to the four-team final and maintained their position at the top during the decisive stages of the competition.
According to reports, Kamaljeet's participation with Suruchi followed a late change in India's mixed team combination. Kamaljeet replaced Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve after the men's 10m air pistol qualification. The change ultimately produced a successful combination as the Indian pair went on to win the gold medal.
In the final, India established an early advantage and continued to lead as the competition progressed. The pair recorded 103.0 in the opening series of Stage 1 and remained ahead through the subsequent rounds. India reached 424.9 during the second stage and entered the final part of the competition with a significant lead over South Korea.
The Indian pair eventually finished with 484.6 points, securing the gold medal. South Korea finished second with 478.0, while Iran took the bronze with 415.8. The margin over South Korea was 6.6 points.
For Suruchi, the result represented a sharp change from the outcome of her individual event. Her coach Suresh Singh said after the mixed team victory that he expected her to respond strongly after the disappointment of missing the individual final. He recalled that she had been disappointed by the earlier result but said he knew she could recover quickly.
Suresh also described Suruchi's ability to respond after setbacks as one of her strengths. He said he was confident about her chances once she reached the final and believed she had the ability to compete successfully under pressure. His comments came after Suruchi and Kamaljeet had completed their gold medal-winning performance.
Suruchi's recent international record has also contributed to expectations surrounding her performances. According to Times of India, she won individual World Cup gold medals in Buenos Aires, Lima and Munich in 2025 and also won the World Cup Final in Doha. Her Asian Games gold therefore adds another major international title to her record.
The 19-year-old shooter is from Jhajjar in Haryana and has trained under Suresh Singh. Reports about her development have highlighted the role of her coach and her progression through domestic and international competitions. She won multiple medals at national competitions before making a major impact on the international shooting circuit.
The mixed team gold also had significance for Indian shooting at the Asian Games. The event combines one male and one female shooter, requiring both athletes to maintain consistency across multiple stages. India stayed at the top for much of the final before completing the competition with the winning score.
The result came during a mixed day for India's shooting contingent. While Suruchi and Kamaljeet won gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, India's men's 50m rifle 3 positions team comprising Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil and Niraj Kumar finished with silver. This meant India collected medals in more than one shooting event on the same day.
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, congratulated Kamaljeet and Suruchi on their gold medal. According to All India Radio, she described their performance as a display of precision and partnership. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya also congratulated the shooters.
For Indian shooting, the victory provides another medal from the Aichi Nagoya Games and adds to the country's medal tally. For Suruchi in particular, the result demonstrates the different outcomes that can emerge across individual and mixed team competitions. Her individual qualification ended without a final berth, but she returned to the range with Kamaljeet and secured the mixed team title.
The 2026 Asian Games are being held in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, with athletes competing across a wide range of sports. Shooting is among the disciplines in which India has entered a large contingent, with competitions spread across multiple pistol and rifle events.
Suruchi and Kamaljeet's victory will therefore be remembered as an important result in India's shooting campaign at the Games. Their 484.6 points secured the gold medal, established a new Asian record and gave India its second gold of the 2026 Asian Games.
