Twelve-year-old Western Australian sharpshooter Samarthy Sangwan has had a standout season on the national shooting circuit, finishing fourth overall in the 10m Air Pistol Junior Men’s event at the 67th ISSF National Championships held at the Sydney International Shooting Centre from May 18–24, 2025.
The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Nationals brought together the country’s top young shooters, and Samarthy’s impressive performance placed him as the highest-ranked Junior Men’s shooter from Western Australia.
Proud parents Praveen and Sunaina told The Australia Today, “We are proud to share that in the 10m Air Pistol Junior Men, Samarthy finished 4th overall and was the top Junior Men’s shooter from Western Australia.”
“An incredible accomplishment, especially considering he was the youngest competitor at the nationals.”
Just weeks earlier in April, Samarthy claimed silver in the Mixed Air Pistol Final at the Rhein Donau Pistol Club’s Granny’s Guns Open. Shooting against seasoned Australian international representatives, he qualified with a personal best score of 542 — the highest among junior competitors — and held his own in a tense final where the lead changed hands multiple times.
With one shot to go, Scott Anderson (CFPC) led by just 0.6 and held on to win gold by a narrow 0.7 margin. Bailey Groves (CFPC) claimed bronze. The closely fought contest highlighted Samarthy’s composure under pressure and rising status in the sport.
A proud representative of Western Australia’s Indian community, Samarthy only turned 12 in March 2025 and has been shooting competitively for just 17 months. His rapid progress and consistent top-tier finishes signal a bright future ahead.
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