Esha Singh opened up about her dramatic Asian Games 2026 silver after five shoot-offs in the women’s 25m pistol final, describing the experience as nerve-racking.
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India’s Esha Singh poses with her silver medal won in the women’s 25m pistol event during the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Nagoya, Japan(Photo: PTI)
Esha Singh returned from the Asian Games with a silver medal after one of the most dramatic finishes of the shooting competitionThe Indian shooter narrowly missed out on gold in the women’s 25m pistol event after a long shoot-off against China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan.
Esha and Xiao were tied on 38 hits after the regulation 50 shots, matching the Asian Games record and forcing a shoot-off for the gold medalAfter five shoot-offs, Esha eventually finished with silver.
Despite missing gold by a tiny margin, the 21-year-old said she was proud of the medal and felt the experience would help her to go forward.
Esha says five shoot-offs made final nerve-racking
Speaking to PTI at the IGI Airport after returning from Nagoya on Tuesday night, Esha admitted that she did not expect the final to go through so many shoot-offs.
“Yeah, I think it has sunk in, especially with the five shoot-offs, which I was not expecting at allIt was definitely nerve-racking, and my heartbeat was through the roof,” Esha said.
The Indian shooter also explained how she handled the pressure during the tense finish.
“But I think that’s something I really had to overcomeI can’t really stop the pressureI have to live through itThat is how you play this game, and that’s what thrills me about this sport,” she added.
‘There was pressure,’ says Esha
Esha admitted that the expectations around her were high after a strong 2026 seasonHowever, she believes dealing with pressure is part of competing at the highest level.
“Definitely, I’m not going to deny that there was no pressureThere was pressure, and 2026 has been a great year for meBut with that comes its own kind of pressureI think this Asian Games was a little different for me,” she observed.
She also said the unexpected five shoot-offs made the experience even more challenging.
“But I really had to strive for the medal, and I think it was supposed to be a very memorable silver,” she said.
Experience helped Esha handle pressure
As per Esha, years of competition have helped her understand how her body reacts during high-pressure moments.
“I think there’s no secretIt’s just the experiences that have built me up, and I know exactly how my body will performI think it’s the years of experience and how I’ve worked on it in the past,” she noted.
Esha credits her support team
The shooter was quick to share the credit for her Asian Games success with the people who have supported her throughout her career.
“It’s not something I’ve done aloneI have an entire teamOf course, it’s an individual sport and I’m alone on the lane, but the work that’s been put into it is not alone.
“It’s my coach, my parents, the support staff from the federation, and I truly felt so privileged getting support from India, especially in this Asian Games, looking at how amazingly we were taken care of,” she recalled.
World championship and Olympic quota next
Esha is now preparing for another important phase of her careerWith the World Championship and an Olympic quota opportunity ahead, she knows there is little time to celebrate her Asian Games success.
“We have the World Championship and the Olympic quota, so I’m looking ahead to thatEvery match is crucial, but definitely I will give my bestI’ll try my best to perform and give it everything,” she signed off.
