Asian Games 2026: India won team silver and two individual medals in the men’s 10m air rifle, with Dhillon taking silver and Rudrankksh bronze in Aichi-Nagoya

New Delhi/Japan: Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil both stood on the podium in the men’s 10m air rifle final on Monday, giving India two more medals just about an hour after the team event. Dhillon claimed silver while Rudrankksh took bronze at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The pair had already helped India win team silver earlier in the day. The three-medal haul gave Indian shooting a major boost on the second day of competition at the 20th Asian Games.

A big day for Indian shooting in Aichi-Nagoya

Indian shooters turned September 21 into a three-medal day. The men’s 10m air rifle team first secured silver, with Rudrankksh, Dhillon and Parth Mane combining for 1890.1 points. Soon after, Dhillon and Rudrankksh added individual silver and bronze in the final.

The results took India’s shooting medal tally at these Games to five. Indian shooters had already opened their campaign on Sunday with two silver medals in the women’s 10m air rifle events.

Team event first: silver behind China

Rudrankksh Patil, Himanshu Dhillon and Parth Mane combined for 1890.1 points in the men’s 10m air rifle team event to finish second behind China. China won gold with 1899.0 points, while South Korea took bronze with 1884.2.

The team result also put Rudrankksh and Dhillon into the individual final. Their qualification scores mattered because the team competition also serves as the route into the individual medal round for the highest-ranked shooters.

Individual final: Dhillon and Rudrankksh both make the podium

Dhillon, 20, produced another composed performance in the final to win silver with 252.4 points. China’s Sheng Lihao took gold with 254.2, finishing 1.8 points ahead of the Indian shooter.

Rudrankksh finished with 230.9 points and took bronze after elimination following the 14th shot. He had spent much of the early final in medal contention and even led the field at one stage.

For Dhillon, the medal became his second silver of the Games after his contribution to the team event earlier in the day.

How the final unfolded, shot by shot

The 10m air rifle final uses an elimination format. Shooters fire groups of shots called series, with their scores added as the final progresses. After the competition reaches the elimination stage, the shooter with the lowest score at the relevant point leaves the competition, while the remaining shooters continue fighting for the podium.

Rudrankksh made a strong start and quickly joined Sheng Lihao in the battle for the lead. After the second series, Rudrankksh stood first on 106.0, followed by Lihao on 104.9 and Dhillon on 104.8.

That early advantage kept the Indian pair firmly in the medal race as the final moved into its later stages.

The turning point: Rudrankksh’s slip, Dhillon’s surge

The crucial change came in the sixth series of Stage 2. Rudrankksh shot 9.7, which cost him ground in the standings. Dhillon responded with a strong 10.6 in the same series and moved into second place.

That shift proved decisive for the Indian shooters. Dhillon stayed in the silver position and eventually finished with 252.4 points. Rudrankksh remained in the medal positions but was eliminated in third after the 14th shot, ending with 230.9.

Who is Himanshu Dhillon?

Haryana’s Himanshu Dhillon has quickly moved from junior competition to the senior international stage. His breakthrough came at the 2026 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in New Delhi, where he won the men’s 10m air rifle junior title.

Dhillon topped qualification there with 633.9 points across six series. His scores were 105.7, 104.8, 104.8, 106.1, 106.4 and 106.1. He also helped India win the junior men’s team title with a combined score of 1887.8.

His Asian Games silver now adds a major senior international medal to that rapid rise.

Rudrankksh Patil’s remarkable year

Rudrankksh Patil, from Thane, Maharashtra, already had a world title and an Asian Games gold before arriving in Aichi-Nagoya. He won individual and team gold at the 2022 World Championships in Cairo and reached the world No. 1 ranking in men’s 10m air rifle that year.

He also won individual gold at the 2026 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in New Delhi with 251.9 points and added team gold. The official ISSF results confirm his 251.9 winning score.

Patil also played a part in India’s 10m air rifle team gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou alongside Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Divyansh Singh Panwar. His career record includes two World Championship golds, one Asian Games gold and medals from Asian Championships and World Cups.

India’s growing shooting medal tally at these Games

Monday’s three medals took India’s shooting tally at the Asian Games to five. The previous day, Indian shooters won two silver medals in the women’s 10m air rifle events, with Elavenil Valarivan contributing to both the team and individual podium finishes.

India’s overall medal tally reached six, with the other medal coming from Suchika Tariyal, who won bronze in the women’s traditional 60kg mixed martial arts event. The early shooting results have given India a strong start at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Dhillon and Rudrankksh now have individual medals to add to the team silver they helped secure earlier in the morning.

India’s rifle shooters have already made their mark in Aichi-Nagoya. More shooting events remain on the schedule at the 2026 Asian Games.