Kishmala Talat, representing Pakistan in the shooting discipline at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, clinched the bronze medal in the 10 meters Air Pistol event. This achievement marked Pakistan’s first medal at the ongoing games.
In the closely contested competition, 17-year-old Palak Gulia and 18-year-old Esha Singh from India secured the gold and silver medals, respectively. Talat secured the third position with a total score of 218.2, while her Indian counterparts achieved scores of 242.1 and 239.7.
Expressing her enthusiasm and ambitions, Talat stated, “I am looking forward to the Olympics 2024,” with hopes of representing Pakistan on the international stage.
Earlier in the 10 meters air rifle shooting discipline, Pakistan’s journey came to an end when Ghufran Adil, Aqib Latif, and Zeeshan Fareed failed to qualify for the top 8 for the next round. Ghufran finished 31st with 622.7 points, Aaqib finished 44th with 616.7 points, and Zeeshan finished 53rd with 608.4 points. Pakistan, as a whole, secured the 14th position with a total score of 1874.8 points in the 10 meters air rifle competition.
In another shooting competition, Pakistani athlete GM Bashir showed promise in the first round of the qualification phase, securing the eighth position. However, he faced a setback in the second round, earning only 13 points and dropping out of the top 4 race.
Furthermore, in a significant development, two female athletes from Pakistan, Sahib e Asra and Arooj Kiran, were granted permission to travel to China for the games. Initially barred due to a delay in the doping test results, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), in consultation with the Pakistan Sports Board, allowed their participation. Asra was set to compete in the 400 meters race, while Kiran was registered for the 100 meters category.
This recognition of their participation marked an important moment in the journey of these athletes, reaffirming their eligibility to compete and represent Pakistan on the international stage.
