The ISSF World Cup 2026 in Granada was a promising event resulting in a big win for Indian shooters. In the 10m air pistol mixed team event, Indian shooters Palak and Mukesh Nelavalli finished with a gold medal. Their victory was, however, not limited to them. The duo went on to set a new world record in the event.
In the 10m Air Pistol mixed team finals, Palak-Mukesh finished with a combined score of 487.7. Palak contributed 243.0, while Mukesh scored 244.7. Both of them gave their all to defeat reigning world champions Yao Qianxun and Hu Kai of China and to take the top spot on the podium. With India taking the gold, the Chinese team settled for silver with a total of 484.8, while Hungary’s Veronika Major and Akos Karoly Nagy won bronze.
The record has now surpassed Uzbekistan’s Nigina Saidkulova and Mukhammad Kamalov. Their milestone also comes promising under the junior world record while reflecting the duo’s growth and success on the international stage.
Earlier in the qualification round, the Indian pair showcased their brilliant form finishing second with a score of 581-17x. They trailed behind the Chinese pair of Qianxun Yao and Kai Hu, who were the top rankers with 586-23x.
18-year-old Palak is continuing to build her mark in the sport after coming off a dominant run with an individual gold and team silver at the 2023 Asian Games. Meanwhile, Mukesh, who is a junior world champion is emerging alongside Palak as the key prospects of India in the pistol shooting circuit.
Indian shooters had a disappointing campaign in the 10m air rifle mixed team event with neither of the two pairs qualifying in the finals. as neither of the two pairs qualified for the finals. The duo of Sonam Uttar Maskar and Gajanan Khandagale finished sixth with a score of 631.4. On the other hand, the duo of Arshdeep Singh and Shruti ended their campaign at No. 19 with a score of 628.0.
Meanwhile, Indian Olympic medallists like Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale are not competing at the event this time. No medals came from the Shotgun World Cup in Tangier, Morocco, held in April 2026.
