Anish Bhanwala Bags Historic World Championship Silver
Indian Olympian Anish Bhanwala has made history by clinching a remarkable silver medal in the Men’s 25-metre Rapid Fire Pistol event at the ISSF World Championship Rifle/Pistol 2025 in Cairo, Egypt. This is the 23-year-old shooter’s first-ever senior individual medal at a World Championship, marking a significant milestone for Indian shooting and solidifying his place among the world’s elite.
Bhanwala’s road to the podium was defined by sheer nerve and mental toughness. The final, a high-pressure elimination round, saw the Indian survive a grueling total of four shoot-offs. His ability to maintain composure during these sudden-death situations against seasoned international competitors drew immediate praise from the global shooting community and veterans back home.
The former Junior World Champion first showed his fighting spirit by overcoming Germany’s Emanuel Mueller in a tense double shoot-off to secure a spot among the medal contenders. He then faced another nail-biting showdown for the silver medal against Maksym Horodynets of Ukraine. In a critical double shoot-off, Bhanwala held his nerve to hit four targets, while his Ukrainian rival managed only two, confirming the Indian’s place in the final two.
Bhanwala had earlier qualified for the six-man final in a strong second place with a combined qualification score of 585 over two days. He started the medal round with impressive consistency, firing a perfect first series of five hits. This early momentum proved crucial in the rapidly changing final format.
The gold medal ultimately went to France’s Clement Bessaguet, who topped the event with 31 points, confirming his long-awaited World Championship title after securing back-to-back silver medals in previous editions. Bhanwala finished with a total of 28 points, claiming a well-deserved silver, while Horodynets settled for the bronze.
Speaking after the event, an emotional Bhanwala admitted that the feeling was “completely unreal.” He credited meticulous planning and an intense, focused training programme with his coach for his ability to finally deliver a medal-winning performance under the immense pressure of the global championship stage. The shooter emphasized that he had worked hard to improve his mental strength, which proved the decisive factor in the multiple shoot-offs he faced.
This breakthrough performance is particularly significant for Indian shooting in an Olympic category, as it establishes a strong legacy in the event previously highlighted by the London 2012 Olympics silver medal won by Vijay Kumar Sharma. Bhanwala’s medal not only boosts India’s tally at the Cairo meet to five medals, but it also secures his automatic qualification for the prestigious ISSF World Cup Final scheduled to be held in Doha next month, setting the stage for his continued growth as a major contender on the world circuit.
