Tamil Nadu shooter Niveditha Veloor Nair won bronze in the women’s 25m standard pistol at the ISSF World Championship in Doha on Sunday, adding another medal to India’s growing tally at the championships. Niveditha finished third with a score of 567-13x, just two points behind the gold medallist, in a final field that included two Olympic medallists.
It was a measured, composed performance from the Indian shooter, and it came with a bonus. On the same day, India also picked up silver in the women’s 25m standard pistol team event, with Niveditha, Manvi Jain and Simranpreet Kaur Brar combining for 1,682-33x. The two medals on Sunday took India’s overall tally at the Doha championships to seven: one gold, five silver and one bronze.
A two-point gap at the top
The individual final was decided by the finest of margins. China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan took gold with 569-10x, while Hungary’s Veronika Major claimed silver with 568-13x. Niveditha’s 567-13x left her one point behind Major and two behind Xiao.
The “13x” in her score is the tie-breaker that matters in shooting. It counts the number of inner tens, the shots that land closest to the centre of the target, and it is used to separate shooters who finish level on points. Niveditha’s 13 inner tens were the joint-highest among the medallists, level with Major’s, which underlines how close this final really was.
Both women who finished ahead of her are established names in the sport. Xiao and Major are recognised Olympic medallists in the women’s 25m pistol, so a bronze against that company is a serious result for the Tamil Nadu shooter, not a consolation prize.
Team silver completes the day
The team event gave India a second reason to celebrate on Sunday. Niveditha, Manvi Jain and Simranpreet Kaur Brar pooled their scores for a combined 1,682-33x, good enough for silver behind the winners.
Team medals matter in shooting because they reward depth, not just one good day. Three Indian shooters all had to hold their nerve in the same event, and the silver shows that the women’s standard pistol squad has more than one shooter capable of performing at world level.
There was no medal for India in the men’s 25m standard pistol, which makes the women’s double on Sunday stand out even more in the overall campaign.
India’s campaign in Doha
The championships, being held in Doha, have been a steady source of medals for India. Before Sunday, the standout result had come in the men’s 50m pistol, where Ravinder Singh, Saurabh Chaudhary and Amanpreet Singh won team gold. Ravinder also took individual silver in that event with 559-11x.
India sent a 54-strong squad to Doha, led by two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, and the medals have been spread across events rather than coming from one star name. That spread is exactly what a shooting programme wants to see in the middle of an Olympic cycle.
The 25m standard pistol is a non-Olympic event, so Sunday’s medals do not carry Olympic qualification points. But world championship medals still count for rankings, confidence and funding, and for a shooter like Niveditha, a first world championship medal is the kind of result that changes how the next season is planned.
What comes next
The championship continues in Doha until November 14, with more Indian shooters still to compete. The immediate question for Niveditha is whether she can carry this form into the next round of domestic and international events, and whether the selectors see her as part of the core group for the bigger tests ahead.
For now, though, the numbers tell the story plainly enough. A score of 567-13x, a bronze medal, a team silver, and India’s tally up to seven medals. It was a good Sunday for Indian shooting, and Niveditha Veloor Nair was at the centre of it.
FAQs
What did Niveditha Veloor Nair win at the ISSF World Championship?
She won the individual bronze medal in the women’s 25m standard pistol in Doha on Sunday, November 8, finishing with a score of 567-13x.
Who won gold and silver in the event?
China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan won gold with 569-10x, and Hungary’s Veronika Major took silver with 568-13x. Both are Olympic medallists in the women’s 25m pistol.
Did India win a team medal in the same event?
Yes. India won silver in the women’s 25m standard pistol team event, with Niveditha, Manvi Jain and Simranpreet Kaur Brar combining for 1,682-33x.
How many medals does India have at the Doha championships?
After Sunday’s two medals, India’s tally stands at seven: one gold, five silver and one bronze.
Is the 25m standard pistol an Olympic event?
No, it is a non-Olympic event, so the medals do not carry Olympic qualification points, but they do count for world rankings and the shooter’s standing.
India’s shooters will be back in action as the championships continue in Doha this week.
