Vijayveer makes it double gold day for India at Argentina Shooting World Cup

First individual world cup gold for India in Rapid Fire

Vijayveer Sidhu in action during the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol final in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: Vijayveer Sidhu won his and India’s first individual world cup gold in men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol (RFP), in the process also ensuring that his country had their most profitable day yet at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun Argentina 2025, following Suruchi’s win earlier on Tuesday in the women’s 10m air pistol. Paris Olympian Vijayveer, shot 29 in a thrilling but low-scoring final, to put it across experienced Italian Riccardo Mazzatti, who was left one short after the eight series of five rapid-fire shots each. Chinese teenager Yang Yuhao won bronze.

Speaking right after the final Vijayveer said, “I have played so many past finals with Gurpreet sir, Anish and others previously in the nationals, trials etc. and have performed well. So today I told myself that I had to do what I do there. Which is that I have to feel that I own the place like I do in Delhi. Just do the same things, but more importantly feel the same way. I just wanted to control what I can control and it worked. I am happy that this gold was a barrier and now it has been broken down and this will help future Indian athletes also in this event.”

(L-R)- Riccardo Mazzetti, Vijayveer Sidhu & Yang Yuhao after the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol final in Buenos Aires.

Beginning the day in seventh position in the overnight standings, Vijay shot 290 in the second rapid-fire round of qualifying to log a total of 579. That was enough to give him third place with talented Kazakh Nikita Chiryukin topping the standings with 582.

Yang was a point behind in second while two Italians Mazaatti and Massimo Spinella took the last two (fifth and sixth) spots. Ivan Semenikhin representing the individual neutral athletes (AIN) also made the top six cut in fourth place. Among those who could not make it was German pistol legend Christian Reitz, India number one Anish (570-11th) and Vijayveer’s coach and fellow competitor and Olympian Gurpreet Singh (575-8th).

Breezy final

In blustery conditions, Mazzetti took an early lead, hitting 14 out of the first 20 targets with Sidhu trailing by one at that first elimination stage, which saw Seminikhin be the first to bow out.

The Indian had had a tough first series scoring only one hit, but had responded with three solid fours and a then a perfect five for his fifth series, took him to the top and past Mazzetti by two.

The Italian came back with a five himself and tied with the Indian after the sixth series as both confirmed their medals. Meanwhile the battle for bronze was between Yang and Chiryukin which the former won via shoot-off.

Both Sidhu and Mazzetti could not be separated after the seventh series as well, as both scored four hits, relegating the 19-year-old Yang to bronze, despite him finishing with a perfect five.

With all to play for in the eighth, Mazzetti fired a three, but it was Sidhu’s day and his riposte was a four and a first individual ISSF World Cup gold.

The efforts of the Shooting stars meant India finished the day on top of the medal tally with four golds, one silver and one bronze to show for their efforts.