25 September 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Indian shooters Kamaljeet and Suruchi Singh stormed into the final of the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, topping qualification with a score of 587-29x.
The Indian pair produced three consistent series of 196, 195 and 196 to finish at the top of the qualification standings and secure a place in the four-team medal round. Their score was just four points short of the world record.
India Top Qualification
Kamaljeet and Suruchi began strongly with 196 points in the opening series. They added 195 in the second series to reach 391 before closing qualification with another 196.
Their final tally of 587 included 29 inner 10s, underlining the consistency of the Indian combination.
Iran, South Korea and Indonesia Also Reach Final
The Indian duo advanced alongside pairs from Iran, South Korea and Indonesia.
Iran qualified with 584-17x, South Korea with 582-23x, while Indonesia entered the final with 580-30x. The top four pairs advanced to the medal round.
A Strong Comeback for Both Shooters
The qualification performance came after disappointing outings for both Indian shooters in the individual events.
Kamaljeet finished ninth in men’s 10m air pistol qualification, missing the individual final by one point. Suruchi finished 26th in the women’s qualification and also failed to reach the medal round.
Last-Minute Pairing Change
The mixed-team combination itself was the result of a late change by the Indian shooting management.
Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve had initially been paired with Suruchi. After Kamaljeet finished ninth in the men’s individual qualification, he was brought into the mixed-team pairing instead.
The decision paid off as the new combination immediately delivered a record-equalling qualification performance.
India Looking for Shooting Gold
The qualification result gave India a strong opportunity to add a shooting gold medal at the Games.
The Indian shooting contingent had endured several near misses earlier in the competition, making the mixed-team event an important chance to finish the 10m air pistol campaign on a high.
Medal Round Awaits
Kamaljeet and Suruchi will now compete against Iran, South Korea and Indonesia for the medals.
Their 587-point qualification score has put them at the top of the field going into the final, with the four teams set to battle for the podium.