Indian shooting sensation Sift Kaur Samra continued her impressive run on the international stage, clinching a bronze medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event at the ISSF World Cup (rifle/pistol) in Munich on Thursday.
The 23-year-old from Faridkot, Punjab, shot 453.1 in a high-octane final to secure third place, further cementing her status among the world’s top rifle shooters. Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad claimed gold with a remarkable score of 466.9, while Switzerland’s Emely Jaeggi took silver with 464.8.
In a twist, Jaeggi, who had originally finished ninth in qualification with a score of 590, entered the final only after two higher-placed shooters were ruled out of medal contention due to their “ranking points only” (RPO) status.
Meanwhile, Samra finished an impressive second in the qualifying rounds, with an aggregate of 592 across the three positions – kneeling, prone, and standing. She was tied on the score with France’s Agathe Cecile Camille Girard, who topped the chart by virtue of more inner 10s (Xs). Switzerland’s Audrey Gogniat followed them in third place, heading into the final.
This bronze adds to what has been a remarkable year for Samra so far. She began the 2025 season with a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, a vital boost after a challenging 2024 Paris Olympics, where she had a below-par outing.
Already a history-maker, Samra still holds the world record in women’s 50m rifle 3 positions – a stunning 469.6 – which she set during her gold-medal winning performance at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Among other Indian shooters in the event, Ashi Chouksey narrowly missed out on making the final, finishing 11th with a score of 589. Veteran Anjum Moudgil, a regular member of India’s rifle squad, ended 27th with 586, while Shriyanka Sadangi and Nischal finished 53rd and 60th respectively.