Suhl (Germany), June 22, 2026
Sixteen-year-old Indian shooter Pritam Kendre credited his disciplined approach and technical focus for making his mark by clinching gold in the men’s 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship.
In his second international tournament, Pritam delivered a calm and precise performance in the eight-man final, scoring 251.3 to surpass neutral athlete Timofei Aleinikov, who earned silver, and Norway’s Jens Oestli, who won bronze.
The young Indian, reflecting on his first world title, said, “I am extremely happy with this victory. My only focus throughout the competition was on my technique and giving my best in every shot.”
The shooter from Pune also recognised the contribution of the Gagan Narang Gun For Glory Shooting Academy in his quick progress.
“The coaches at GNGFG have given me tremendous personal attention. Our training has always been centred on improving my technique, and I believe that has been the biggest reason behind this success,” he added.
After finishing his Class 10 board exams, Pritam mentioned that his victory has reinforced his determination to attain bigger accomplishments for India.
“Winning a world championship gold has given me immense confidence. I want to continue improving in the 10m air rifle event and win many more medals for India in the years ahead,” he stated.
The fifth ISSF Junior World Championship edition has drawn over 800 shooters representing 70 national federations, including an 84-member team from India.
At the 2024 edition in Lima, Peru, India led the medals tally with a total of 24 medals: 13 gold, three silver, and eight bronze.(Agency)
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