Arya Borse-Arjun Babuta pair won 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team World Cup gold by defeating China 17-7 in Berlin
🇩🇪 India’s Stellar Performance in Berlin
On Saturday, 14 June 2025, Indian shooters Arya Borse and Arjun Babuta claimed the gold medal in the 10 m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF World Cup in Berlin, defeating China’s Olympic and World Champions Zifei Wang and Lihao Sheng by a dominant 17–7 margin .
Thrilling Final Showdown
The final was completely dominated by the Indian pair. They started strong, taking a 2–0 lead in the initial two series and then surged ahead to build a commanding 13–3 advantage. Ultimately, they secured the win with a final score of 17–7, bagging the gold for India .
Key Facts
- India achieved 18 shots scoring 10.5 or above in the final, compared to just 12 such shots from the Chinese team .
- In qualifications, Arjun Babuta scored 317.7 and Arya Borse 317.5, combining for a total of 635.2, just 0.7 points behind the world-record 635.9 set by Wang & Sheng.
🥉 India’s Position on the Medal Table
This gold was one of four medals India secured at the World Cup—two gold and two bronze .
India’s Medal Tally (Munich/Berlin):
- 🥇 10 m Air Rifle Mixed Team: Arya Borse & Arjun Babuta
- 🥇 10 m Air Pistol (Women): Suruchi Singh
- 🥉 50 m Rifle 3 Positions (Women): Sift Kaur Samra
- 🥉 10 m Air Rifle (Women): Elavenil Valarivan
India finished third on the overall standings, behind China (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) and Norway (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze).
Spotlight on the Shooters
Arya Borse (born 2 Dec 2002, Nashik) had previously won silver in mixed team events with Rudrankksh Patil at World Cups in Lima and Buenos Aires .
Arjun Babuta (born 24 Jan 1999, Punjab) narrowly missed a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing fourth in the 10 m Air Rifle. This gold gives his career fresh momentum .
Strategy and Mental Fortitude
According to Arjun, they approached the final with an “individual event mindset” to avoid the extra pressure of a team format. He noted the final’s intensity, with just 30 shots per shooter, leaving no space for error .
The Future of Mixed Team Events
The ISSF announced that starting in 2026, the mixed team format will switch to a new elimination system, and this win signals India’s developing strength in the format .
🇨🇳 Upcoming Challenges
The next stage of the World Cup is scheduled for September 2025 in Ningbo, China, where India’s mixed team performance will again be tested .
In Summary
- Performance: India’s duo outclassed China’s top pair with a commanding 17–7 win.
- Medal Tally: With 2 gold and 2 bronze medals, India showcased significant strength.
- Mental Game: A focused, individual-centric strategy proved key to their success.
- Future Outlook: With format changes on the horizon, India’s mixed team appears well-prepared.
This victory has injected fresh confidence into Indian shooting, especially in mixed-team competitions. All eyes will be on how the duo—and Team India—perform in upcoming events like Ningbo.
