Asian Games Shooting: Palak, Esha Singh record historic double podium finish

Teenager Palak Gulia and Esha Singh created history as they became the first Indian shooters to win gold and silver together as they finished on the podium in the women's 10m air pistol final at Asian Games 2023 on Friday.

17-year-old Palak shot 242.1 in the final to smash the Asian Games record and take the gold home while Esha Singh shot 239.7 to clinch the silver.

The teenager duo, who earlier won a silver medal in the team event of 10m air rifle pistol, took the lead in the individual final from the first shot and maintained it till the end.

Esha Singh took the lead with a score of 101.0 while Palak was stationed at second with 100.7 after the end of the first round.

In the first series of elimination rounds, Esha shot a couple of under 10 shots allowing Palak to take the lead Palak never looked back after that and went on to clinch her first-ever Asian Games gold.

The bronze medal went to Pakistan's Kishmala Talat who shot 218.2 to finish in third place.

Earlier in the day, Palak and Esha combined with Divya Thadigol to win the silver medal in the 10m air pistol team event. Esha shot 579 and Palak shot 577 in the qualification to qualify for the individual finals.

This is Esha Singh's fourth medal of the Asian Games 2023 as the 18-year-old has won one gold (25m pistol team) and three silver (10m air pistol individual, team and 25m pistol individual).

India has won six gold, six silver, and five bronze medals in Shooting so far, making it India's best campaign in the history of Asian Games.