NEW DELHI: Jaypal Malviya announced his arrival on the big stage with a breakthrough silver medal in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Championships in Doha on Thursday, securing India’s first shooting quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.The shooter from Madhya Pradesh produced a composed performance in the eight-man final, scoring 242.2 points to finish second behind China’s Kai Hu, who clinched gold with 243.9. Czechia’s Jindrich Dubovy took bronze with 220.9.The silver was doubly significant for India as it brought the country’s first Olympic quota in shooting for the Los Angeles Games. Malviya’s achievement also marked a major breakthrough in his young career, having made his mark on the national circuit only recently.“The environment is great. The crowd was very loud and motivated me. I would like to thank the federation, SAI, OGQ and the MP and Indian government. I am grateful to Samaresh Jung sir. I feel great that I could bring the quota and medal to the country,” Malviya said after the final.
Malviya holds nerve in tense final
Malviya had qualified for the final in third place with a score of 585 across six series, setting himself up for a shot at the podium.The Indian endured a mixed start in the final, shooting 9.2 on his second attempt in the opening five-shot series before recovering with a 10.6 on his final shot. He finished the series with 50.5 points, occupying third place behind leader Hu.He briefly slipped to fourth after his 10-shot series, with a total of 100.0, as Dubovy moved into third with 100.5. China’s Hu and Yu Xie continued to set the pace.However, Malviya responded with a 10.7 to stay in contention, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. He followed it up with another 10.7 as Hu shot 10.9, leaving the Indian just 0.5 points behind the Chinese shooter.The result also assured India of its first shooting quota for the 2028 Olympics. Malviya remained in the medal hunt as the final entered its decisive stages, with a narrow gap separating him from Hu.A 9.7 threatened to derail his challenge, putting him 0.9 points behind the leader. But the Indian bounced back with a crucial 10.7 to keep the pressure on. Hu eventually held on for gold, while Dubovy secured bronze.
Jaypal Malviya
From national trials to World Championships podium
Malviya has emerged as one of the promising names in Indian shooting. He first made a strong impression at the 2026 National Selection Trials, winning the men’s 10m air pistol Trial 1 gold at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi.After qualifying seventh, he produced an impressive 245.6 in the final to claim the title. He also finished ninth at the 2026 ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, narrowly missing the final despite shooting 585 in qualification.The World Championships silver and Olympic quota now represent the biggest milestones of his career, putting him firmly on the road to Los Angeles 2028.
