Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil secured the bronze medal in the men’s 10m air rifle individual event at the Asian Games 2026, finishing behind fellow Indian shooter Himanshu Dhillon, who won silver. The result saw India claim two medals in the event, with both shooters making it to the podium.
Rudrankksh Patil Makes Strong Start
Rudrankksh began the final on a strong note, taking the early lead after the opening series with a score of 52.8.
He continued his impressive run in the second series, producing a score of 53.2 to extend his advantage to 1.1 points at the top of the standings.
Close Contest In Middle Stages
The competition remained tightly fought as the final progressed.
After 16 shots, China’s Sheng Lihao moved into first place with 168.8 points, while Rudrankksh and Himanshu were level on 168.6 points each.
With only small margins separating the leading shooters, the final stages turned into a closely contested battle for the medals.
Rudrankksh Finishes 0.1 Point Behind Himanshu
The contest between the two Indian shooters went down to the wire.
Rudrankksh was eliminated after 22 shots, finishing with 230.9 points. He ended just 0.1 point behind Himanshu Dhillon’s 231.0, which secured the silver medal for his compatriot.
A 9.7 in the preceding shot proved costly for Rudrankksh as he slipped out of contention for silver and eventually finished with bronze.
India Wins Silver And Bronze
Rudrankksh’s bronze, along with Himanshu Dhillon’s silver, gave India a one-two podium finish in terms of the two Indian medalists in the men’s 10m air rifle individual event.
The performance added another shooting success for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.
Rudrankksh Patil won a gold medal in the Men's 10m Air Rifle Team event at the Asian Games 2022/2023 (held in Hangzhou in late September 2023).
Rudrankksh Patil’s Unexpected Start In Shooting
Rudrankksh Patil’s journey in shooting did not begin with an immediate passion for the sport. When he first joined the Dronacharya Sports Academy, the teenager had little interest in shooting and quit within a few weeks.
“When I started shooting at the Dronacharya Sports Academy, I did not have much interest. I left it within weeks. When you say shooting, you visualise rolling on the floor, aiming and stuff like in paintball but this was exactly the opposite. Standing in the same spot for so many hours was really boring,” Rudrankksh said, Sportsstar reported.
His mother eventually played a role in getting him back to training, using his love for food as motivation.
“My mom used to bribe me with food. She used to say that if you go there, I will make you a nice dessert,” he said.
A Self-Confessed Foodie
Away from the shooting range, Rudrankksh describes himself as a big foodie and enjoys trying local dishes whenever he travels for competitions.
“I consider myself a big foodie. So, wherever I go for competitions, the first thing I do is try the local cuisine. So, food has always been my aim. I have to control my diet before certain matches but there is always an excitement about competitions ending because I get to try different things. I don’t have a favourite, but I am a huge non-vegetarian (meals) lover.”, according to Sportstar.
Despite having to manage his diet before competitions, Rudrankksh said food also helped him take his mind off pressure during important events.
In an interview with News18 Rudrankksh father said that he used to like sports like cricket and football. He also said that in the last 7 years he almost got more than 22 medals.
