NEW DELHI: In the women's 10m air pistol final at Hangzhou, 17-year-old Palak Gulia found herself in a pivotal moment after 10 shots. She stood at one end of the range, her two remaining shots determining her fate. Her seven opponents anxiously watched her every move, as she focused on the target. With precision, she scored 10.5 on her first shot, then calmly readjusted her pistol and shooting glasses. She shuffled slightly, put her hand in her pocket, and took aim once more, securing a 10.2. This moved her up to second place, just behind her compatriot, Esha Singh.
Minutes later, all eyes were on Palak once again, but this time it was because she had clinched the gold medal. Her victory was nothing short of sensational, marked by an Asian Games record score, with a comfortable 2-point lead over Esha who took silver.
Palak's ability to thrive on the big stage was evident from the very beginning. That pivotal moment after her tenth shot seemed to galvanize her, perhaps even sending a message to her rivals. She seized the lead after 12 shots, when the first elimination round was completed, and continued to widen the gap. She went from a 0.3 point lead to an impressive 2.6-point advantage in just two shots and 50 seconds. Then, with three outstanding shots, scoring 10.5, 10.5, and 10.7, her lead became a commanding 2.6 points, and the gold medal was within reach.
The rankings below her fluctuated throughout the competition. Team gold winners China did not have a shooter in the top four, while Esha and Pakistan's Kishmala Talat battled for the bronze medal position. However, Palak maintained her focus and her top spot on the leaderboard.
Four shots later, it was official - a sensational one-two finish for India in the women's 10m air pistol event. The two Indian shooters shared a heartwarming moment, exchanging a warm hug and raising their hands to the cheering crowd. Esha, the 18-year-old senior of the two, playfully nudged Palak, as if to say, "Enjoy the moment, smile for the cameras!" Palak obliged with a wide grin, capturing the essence of two young champions.
Esha had already showcased her quality by winning silver in the women's 25m pistol just two days earlier. On this day, Palak displayed a different quality - nerves of steel combined with unwavering composure under extreme pressure.
Palak took her time to line up her shots, refusing to rush or succumb to the ticking clock, even when all her competitors had finished their shots. Even after her 20th shot, when the gold was all but guaranteed, she took aim later than her peers. While it resulted in a score of 9.9, her substantial lead allowed her to afford it.
Palak had previously mentioned her tendency to take more time to focus and release shots in the early stages of the competition, attributing it to her relative inexperience in target shooting. Despite suffering a shoulder injury late the previous year, her performance showed no signs of faltering.
Palak's journey to the pinnacle of Indian shooting is remarkable for several reasons. She had not competed internationally in the current year before the World Championship a month prior to the Asian Games. The Haryana-based shooter had not been selected for any of the ISSF World Cups in 2023 but earned her spot on the team solely based on her impressive performance in six national competitions, aligning with NRAI's stringent average-based selection policy. Surprisingly, her numbers in five of her last six outings outperformed experienced India international shooters like Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, and Yashaswini Singh Deswal. At the World Championship, she initially ranked 40th in qualification.
While she had previously won medals in the women's and mixed team events at the Changwon World Cup in 2022, she had never competed in a senior individual ISSF World Cup final or any tournament with such intense scrutiny. Her silver medal in the 2022 Asian Airgun Championship, under the now-discarded shoot-off finals format, hinted at her potential.
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