Lima 2023: Manish Narwal adds world title to Paralympic glory

India’s Paralympic champion Manish Narwal will treasure the memories of winning the P1 – men’s 10m air pistol SH1 at the Lima 2023 World Shooting Para Sport Championships on Wednesday (27 September).

Among them will be the jubilant scenes from his teammates after he fired his last shot in a shootout with South Korea’s Jungnam Kim, to claim his first world title on the penultimate day at Las Palmas Air Base shooting range. 

At just 21, the gold medal has cemented Narwal’s status as a titan of pistol shooting, which he won in Peru’s capital. It was the first time the World Championships have been held in the Americas, and he said they did not disappoint.

“This is my first World Championship gold medal, and I am so happy and proud to win it for my country,” said Narwal, who also won a quota place for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. “I’m delighted to win one. I will need to train hard for the Paralympics, but I will be very proud to be there, too.”

Meanwhile, at the current event, he added: “I have really enjoyed my time in Lima, the staff and the officials [at the shooting range] have made us feel very comfortable. It has been a very happy time for India. I will take back home very nice memories of being here.”

Narwal’s win pushed his team, which is the largest at the Championships with 18 athletes, into fourth place on the leaderboard with seven medals, two of them gold. South Korea is top with 15 medals, four of them gold, then Italy and France are tied on seven medals, with four golds each.

In the P1 competition, the Indian athlete had been trailing the first few series but began to pull away in the 5th with a score of 160.6. But after a string of high hits, he continued to widen the gap to finish on 239.7 to Kim’s 235.9. 

USA’s Yan Xiao Gong, the P3 – mixed 25m pistol SH1 gold medallist, had led the opening round but had to settle for bronze. The reigning world champion, South Korea’s Jeongdu Jo, who won gold and bronze earlier in the week, was fourth. 

Last day's action live!

In fifth place was Narwal’s teammate and teenage shooting sensation, Rudransh Khandelwal, who had been leading two of the earlier rounds. The 16-year-old high school student, ranked third in the world in P1, left the competition on 176.6. 

But he was quick to congratulate Narwal after his outstanding performance: “He is my idol,” said Khandelwal, who only started competing internationally a year ago. “We are not rivals but friends and brothers.”

Earlier this year, the young Indian athlete became the Osijek 2023 World Cup champion in P1 and P4. He has also picked up a silver medal in P6 in Lima.

There is a strong bond among the talented athletes on the Indian team, which is emerging as one of the powerhouses of the shooting world.

Teammates have been out in force all week to cheer each other on during the finals. They have been singing and dancing in the stands after the end of the competition. And they enjoyed more celebrations in the finals hall on Wednesday when Narwal returned to the medal podium with teammates Akash and Santosh Gadhe to collect silver in the P1 – men’s team mixed 10m air pistol SH1. 

Korea’s Jo, Kim and Chul Park took gold with Turkey’s team Tahayasin Kusmus, Murat Oguz and Cevat Karagol in bronze.

The Lima 2023 World Championships ends on Thursday (28 September) and can be followed live on the World Shooting Para Sport website and Facebook page. Live results will be available here.

You can follow the action and go behind the scenes on the World Para Shooting Sport social media channels on Instagram and Twitter.