Tokyo: Shooter Dhanush Srikanth delivered a commanding performance at the Deaflympics in Tokyo on Sunday, winning the men’s 10m air rifle gold medal and opening India’s medal tally in style. The 23-year-old set a Deaf Final World Record of 252.2 in the final, reaffirming his status as one of the world’s finest deaf sport shooters.
Making his Deaflympics debut in 2022 with two gold medals, Dhanush once again dominated the field. Compatriot Mohammed Murtaza Vania secured silver with a score of 250.1, while South Korea’s Baek Seunghak claimed bronze after finishing with 223.6.
Dhanush, who trains in Hyderabad, topped the qualification round with 630.6 — a new Deaflympic record. Murtaza followed in second place with 626.3. In the final, Dhanush broke both the Deaflympics final record and the world record, securing his second men’s 10m air rifle gold at the Games. He had previously won both individual and mixed team gold in 2022.
Competing internationally for the first time in over a year, Dhanush returned to global action after winning three gold medals at the 2024 World Deaf Shooting Championships in Hanover. His next target is a fourth Deaflympics gold as he teams up with Mahit Sandhu on Monday for the mixed 10m air rifle event.
Sandhu, 20, also contributed to India’s medal haul with a silver in the women’s 10m air rifle, scoring 250.5. Fellow Indian Komal Waghmare took bronze with 228.3, while Ukraine’s Lydkova Violeta claimed gold with a world record of 252.4. Sandhu qualified second for the final with 623.4, followed closely by Waghmare at 622.0.
Speaking from Hyderabad, Dhanush’s mother Asha Srikanth said her son had been confident heading into the event. She noted that his fluctuating rankings since late 2024 had prevented him from participating in several major competitions, including World Cups and continental championships. However, his resurgence into India’s top 10 has revived his momentum.
Born with congenital hearing impairment, Dhanush underwent two cochlear implant surgeries at the age of one and nine. Despite limited speech ability, he communicates primarily through gestures and relies on his hearing device to compete.
With Dhanush’s world-record effort leading the way, India has made an emphatic start to its Tokyo Deaflympics campaign.
