Paris Olympics 2024: When was the last time India qualified for a medal match in shotgun event at the Olympics?

Thanks to shooters Maheshwari Chauhan and Anantjeet Singh Naruka India made it to a medal round in shotgun at the Olympics after 20 long years today (August 5). The duo finished fourth in the skeet mixed team qualification round at the Paris Olympics 2024.

By doing so, the Indian team qualified for the skeet mixed team bronze medal match. They are the only two shooters since Rajyavardhan Rathore to have qualified for a medal match in an Olympic shotgun event.

Celebrated shooter, Rajyavardhan Rathore, was the first to achieve the feat at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The rifle shooter had qualified for the finals of the men’s double-trap event.

The Rajasthan-born athlete did not have the best qualification round in Athens. Even though he ranked fifth, Rajyavardhan made it to a historic shotgun final. The finals saw six men compete in which Rathore clinched the silver medal.

In his last attempt, Rajyavardhan Rathore showed his mantle by hitting both clay targets. By doing so, he pipped eventual bronze medalist Wang Zheng by just one point.

---

India's mixed skeet team displays a range of skill in road to shotgun qualification but lose bronze

Maheshwari Chauhan and Anatjeet Singh recorded a total score of 146 to qualify. In the first round, Anantjeet scored a perfect 25/25 while Maheshwari recorded a score of 24/25.

With a score of 49 after the first stage, the Indians shared the second position with Australia, France, Korea and two Italian teams.

The duo scored 48 points with Chauhan scoring 25/25 and Singh recording 23/25. In the third round, Maheshwari again scored a perfect 25/25. Anantjeet scored 24/25 to take India to 49 points.

The duo, however, failed to win the bronze medal match losing to China on the same day. Another fourth-place finish for India in Paris 2024.

​