Published on 19 Jun 2026

ISSF Junior World Championship Suhl: Sameer secures Rapid Fire Pistol Men Junior title after dramatic final

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India's Sameer Sameer claimed the gold medal in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men Junior event at the ISSF Junior World Championship Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun Suhl 2026, prevailing in a closely contested final that was decided by a single hit. The Indian athlete finished with 28 hits, narrowly defeating France's Arnaud Gamaleri, while Korea's Lee Yuhwan completed the podium with bronze.

Sameer continued India's strong tradition in rapid fire pistol by securing the junior world title after a composed and consistent performance throughout the final. The Indian athlete has emerged as one of the leading junior rapid fire competitors in recent seasons, earning strong results on the Asian and ISSF circuits. In Suhl, he showed exceptional resilience under pressure, holding off a late challenge from Gamaleri to capture the gold medal by the narrowest of margins.
Silver medallist Arnaud Gamaleri once again demonstrated why he is considered one of France's brightest young pistol talents. The French athlete entered the championship following a series of strong performances in European and ISSF competitions and remained in contention for gold until the final series. His 27-hit performance earned France another major junior medal and confirmed his status as a future contender at senior level.
The bronze medal went to Lee Yuhwan of the Republic of Korea, who prevailed in a shoot-off after finishing level with the leading athletes during the elimination stages. Korea has long been a powerhouse in pistol shooting, and Lee's podium finish reinforces the strength of the country's next generation. The young athlete showed impressive consistency throughout the competition and handled the pressure of the final with maturity.
Poland's Ivan Rakitski finished fourth after remaining in medal contention for much of the contest. The Polish athlete delivered one of the strongest performances of his international career and narrowly missed a place on the podium.

France placed a second athlete in the final through Thomas Clement Chinours, who finished fifth. His appearance alongside Gamaleri highlighted the depth of the French junior rapid fire programme, which continues to produce talented athletes capable of competing at the highest level.
Sixth place went to Switzerland's Theodor Reimann, who reached the world championship final after a strong qualification performance. The Swiss athlete gained valuable experience on one of the biggest stages in junior shooting sport.

Oleksii Tsion of Ukraine finished seventh, while Sung Seyoung of the Republic of Korea placed eighth, completing a highly competitive final field featuring athletes from seven different nations.