Following the fourth and final stage of the standard ISSF World Cup season, the first seven athletes have been confirmed for the men's 10m air rifle competition for the 2025 ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, Qatar.
Qualification Rules
4 Winners of each 2025 ISSF World Cup event, or next best unqualified athlete if repeated winners.
1 2024 ISSF World Cup Final Title Defender.
2 Highest-ranked athletes not qualified from the 2025 ISSF World Cup rankings. This can become more if athletes qualify through two different routes.
To be confirmed
3 2025 ISSF World Championships medallists.
2 Wild cards from the host nation can be submitted.
Qualification Rules
4 Winners of each 2025 ISSF World Cup event, or next best unqualified athlete if repeated winners.
1 2024 ISSF World Cup Final Title Defender.
2 Highest-ranked athletes not qualified from the 2025 ISSF World Cup rankings. This can become more if athletes qualify through two different routes.
To be confirmed
3 2025 ISSF World Championships medallists.
2 Wild cards from the host nation can be submitted.
Sheng Lihao
Nation: China
World Cup Ranking: 1
Qualification: ISSF World Cup Final Title Defender
The Olympic champion was one of the most in-form athletes in 2024 and signed off the season with a victory at the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi, securing his spot at the 2025 edition.
Winning the men's 10m air rifle at Paris 2024 and the mixed team gold medal, he looked to come into 2025 with a bang. His opening result saw him finish ninth in Buenos Aires. In line with his lofty expectations, it was his "worst" result of the season. He took the gold medal in Lima shortly afterwards and then bronze in Munich.
Returning to his home nation, he started with a new qualification world record in the 10m air rifle mixed team event with Peng Xinlu with a mark of 636.9, winning silver in the final. No gold would be draped around his neck in China, as he put in a performance good enough to win most international competitions, scoring a total of 253.5. However, he was bettered by Italian Danilo Sollazzo who set a new world record of 255.0.
Turning 21 during the competition in Doha, Sheng has nearly achieved all that there is to achieve in the sport. Two Olympic golds, four ISSF World Cup individual gold medals, an Asian title, a world bronze and the ISSF World Cup Final gold on his debut in the event. He heads to Doha looking to successfully defend his title, and looks very capable of doing so.
Nation: China
World Cup Ranking: 1
Qualification: ISSF World Cup Final Title Defender
The Olympic champion was one of the most in-form athletes in 2024 and signed off the season with a victory at the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi, securing his spot at the 2025 edition.
Winning the men's 10m air rifle at Paris 2024 and the mixed team gold medal, he looked to come into 2025 with a bang. His opening result saw him finish ninth in Buenos Aires. In line with his lofty expectations, it was his "worst" result of the season. He took the gold medal in Lima shortly afterwards and then bronze in Munich.
Returning to his home nation, he started with a new qualification world record in the 10m air rifle mixed team event with Peng Xinlu with a mark of 636.9, winning silver in the final. No gold would be draped around his neck in China, as he put in a performance good enough to win most international competitions, scoring a total of 253.5. However, he was bettered by Italian Danilo Sollazzo who set a new world record of 255.0.
Turning 21 during the competition in Doha, Sheng has nearly achieved all that there is to achieve in the sport. Two Olympic golds, four ISSF World Cup individual gold medals, an Asian title, a world bronze and the ISSF World Cup Final gold on his debut in the event. He heads to Doha looking to successfully defend his title, and looks very capable of doing so.
Rudrankksh Patil
Nation: India
World Cup Ranking: 10
Qualification: ISSF World Cup gold (Buenos Aires)
Starting the season in style, Patil was the first winner in the event. It was a comfortable, dominant win for the Indian who held off Istvan Peni from Hungary for the gold. The 21-year-old emerged as a world beater back in 2022 when he won the world title at the age of 18, one year after taking silver at the ISSF World Junior Championships.
And it is set to be the second World Cup Final appearance for him, but will look to improve on 13th when he competed in Doha two years ago. With two World Cup gold medals to his name, he is capable of mixing it up at the top.
He has been successful in mixed team competition this year too, winning back-to-back silvers in South America at the start of the season. Patil missed Munich, but finished eighth in Lima. Expect him to be a contender with that consistency.
Nation: India
World Cup Ranking: 10
Qualification: ISSF World Cup gold (Buenos Aires)
Starting the season in style, Patil was the first winner in the event. It was a comfortable, dominant win for the Indian who held off Istvan Peni from Hungary for the gold. The 21-year-old emerged as a world beater back in 2022 when he won the world title at the age of 18, one year after taking silver at the ISSF World Junior Championships.
And it is set to be the second World Cup Final appearance for him, but will look to improve on 13th when he competed in Doha two years ago. With two World Cup gold medals to his name, he is capable of mixing it up at the top.
He has been successful in mixed team competition this year too, winning back-to-back silvers in South America at the start of the season. Patil missed Munich, but finished eighth in Lima. Expect him to be a contender with that consistency.
Arjun Babuta
Nation: India
World Cup Ranking: 8
Qualification: ISSF World Cup silver (Lima)
Arjun Babuta narrowly missed the podium in this event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games - heartbreakingly finishing fourth.
Despite the setback, Babuta can look at 2024 with optimism. He finished fifth at the ISSF World Cup Final on home soil in New Delhi, and finished ninth and 14th respectively during the World Cup season. Coming into 2025, results improved. He was seventh in Buenos Aires, before finishing runner-up in Lima, with the silver medal.
While his results so far will have likely won him a spot at the World Cup Final regardless, his job was made easier by finishing second to Sheng Lihao, the defending champion, who already booked his spot in Doha.
Munich was an event of mixed fortunes. He recorded his lowest finish in his World Cup career individually, but won the gold medal in the mixed team event. Babuta is a name that continues to pop up when speaking of some of the favourites for events, and that will likely be the case again in Qatar.
Nation: India
World Cup Ranking: 8
Qualification: ISSF World Cup silver (Lima)
Arjun Babuta narrowly missed the podium in this event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games - heartbreakingly finishing fourth.
Despite the setback, Babuta can look at 2024 with optimism. He finished fifth at the ISSF World Cup Final on home soil in New Delhi, and finished ninth and 14th respectively during the World Cup season. Coming into 2025, results improved. He was seventh in Buenos Aires, before finishing runner-up in Lima, with the silver medal.
While his results so far will have likely won him a spot at the World Cup Final regardless, his job was made easier by finishing second to Sheng Lihao, the defending champion, who already booked his spot in Doha.
Munich was an event of mixed fortunes. He recorded his lowest finish in his World Cup career individually, but won the gold medal in the mixed team event. Babuta is a name that continues to pop up when speaking of some of the favourites for events, and that will likely be the case again in Qatar.
Ilia Marsov
Nation: Individual Neutral Athlete
World Cup Ranking: 3
Qualification: ISSF World Cup gold (Munich)
Ilia Marsov has had a breakthrough year. Prior to this year, the 27-year-old had a best finish of 11th from back in 2019 at the ISSF World Cup. Unsurprisingly based on that, this will be his ISSF World Cup Final debut.
He has competed in three World Cup legs this year, finishing in the top 10 in five of his six events - the other being 11th in the 50m rifle 3 positions in Ningbo. In Buenos Aires, he was fifth in the 10m air rifle final, and just missed out on the final for the 50m rifle 3 positions. In Munich, it was the arrival of a late bloomer. He claimed the gold medal in the 10m air rifle, securing a spot for him in the event in Doha. He would also take silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions, behind Jon-Hermann Hegg from Norway.
Interestingly, it was a swap from the shorter distance event, with Marsov beating Hegg to the gold medal.
And Marsov had a great showing at the European Championship too, taking the silver medal in his favoured event in Osijek, before adding another top 10 finish in Chateauroux in the longer event. He would add a consistent performance in Ningbo, where he placed sixth in the final, in a close battle between five athletes in the fight for silver. A small error there was the difference between a medal and just missing out.
Consistent results will put Marsov in good stead into his trip to Qatar.
Nation: Individual Neutral Athlete
World Cup Ranking: 3
Qualification: ISSF World Cup gold (Munich)
Ilia Marsov has had a breakthrough year. Prior to this year, the 27-year-old had a best finish of 11th from back in 2019 at the ISSF World Cup. Unsurprisingly based on that, this will be his ISSF World Cup Final debut.
He has competed in three World Cup legs this year, finishing in the top 10 in five of his six events - the other being 11th in the 50m rifle 3 positions in Ningbo. In Buenos Aires, he was fifth in the 10m air rifle final, and just missed out on the final for the 50m rifle 3 positions. In Munich, it was the arrival of a late bloomer. He claimed the gold medal in the 10m air rifle, securing a spot for him in the event in Doha. He would also take silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions, behind Jon-Hermann Hegg from Norway.
Interestingly, it was a swap from the shorter distance event, with Marsov beating Hegg to the gold medal.
And Marsov had a great showing at the European Championship too, taking the silver medal in his favoured event in Osijek, before adding another top 10 finish in Chateauroux in the longer event. He would add a consistent performance in Ningbo, where he placed sixth in the final, in a close battle between five athletes in the fight for silver. A small error there was the difference between a medal and just missing out.
Consistent results will put Marsov in good stead into his trip to Qatar.
Danilo Sollazzo
Nation: Italy
World Cup Ranking: 7
Qualification: ISSF World Cup gold (Ningbo)
Sometimes an athlete comes to form at the right time.
The Italian had an understated season heading into China earlier this month. He missed the season openers in South America, instead first competing on the World Cup stage in Munich, having a best finish of 16th in the men's 10m air rifle. Earlier in the season, he was focusing on the European Championship 10m, and finished 25th.
Nothing suggested Sollazzo would be a contender for the title in Ningbo - yet, he came out of the blocks in superb form. It took until his 13th shot to score below 10.5 and would only go below that threshold twice throughout. In the process, he denied Sheng Lihao a home victory and did it in style - setting a new world record of 255.0 in the process for his third World Cup gold.
It was one of the most impressive performances of the season, and would set him up well heading into the ISSF World Championship and the ISSF World Cup Final.
Despite his age, Sollazzo has shown he can hang with the best. He finished fifth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and took world silver in 2022 at the age of 19. It will be his third World Cup Final and considering he will turn 23 on December 5, he will be hoping to have a birthday to remember.
Nation: Italy
World Cup Ranking: 7
Qualification: ISSF World Cup gold (Ningbo)
Sometimes an athlete comes to form at the right time.
The Italian had an understated season heading into China earlier this month. He missed the season openers in South America, instead first competing on the World Cup stage in Munich, having a best finish of 16th in the men's 10m air rifle. Earlier in the season, he was focusing on the European Championship 10m, and finished 25th.
Nothing suggested Sollazzo would be a contender for the title in Ningbo - yet, he came out of the blocks in superb form. It took until his 13th shot to score below 10.5 and would only go below that threshold twice throughout. In the process, he denied Sheng Lihao a home victory and did it in style - setting a new world record of 255.0 in the process for his third World Cup gold.
It was one of the most impressive performances of the season, and would set him up well heading into the ISSF World Championship and the ISSF World Cup Final.
Despite his age, Sollazzo has shown he can hang with the best. He finished fifth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and took world silver in 2022 at the age of 19. It will be his third World Cup Final and considering he will turn 23 on December 5, he will be hoping to have a birthday to remember.
Istvan Peni
Nation: Hungary
World Cup Ranking: 2
Qualification: ISSF World Cup rankings
Impressively consistent is the best way to summarise Istvan Peni as a shooter. This season, he could not win a gold in the men's 10m air rifle, but was a constant threat to the eventual winners. Buenos Aires was his highest point, where he won the men's 50m rifle 3 positions gold and the 10m air rifle silver behind India's Rudrankksh Patil. Bronzes would follow in both events in Lima, giving him a record of four medals from four going into Munich.
That streak would unfortunately end for the Hungarian, finishing fifth in the 50m event and just missing the final for the 10m in 10th place. Responding to that, he would go on to win the 50m rifle 3 positions final at the European Championship.
Going to Ningbo, Peni looked to bounce back from the Munich disappointment and he would again come close to the medals in the 10m air rifle, finishing fourth in a close battle with the Korean Park Ha-jun.
The back end of the season has not had the same momentum as the start, but he again has qualified in both of his events for the ISSF World Cup Final, where he has five podiums including wins in both events in 2017 and 2024. Last time out Peni was the runner-up to Sheng in this event and will fancy getting back to that top spot.
Nation: Hungary
World Cup Ranking: 2
Qualification: ISSF World Cup rankings
Impressively consistent is the best way to summarise Istvan Peni as a shooter. This season, he could not win a gold in the men's 10m air rifle, but was a constant threat to the eventual winners. Buenos Aires was his highest point, where he won the men's 50m rifle 3 positions gold and the 10m air rifle silver behind India's Rudrankksh Patil. Bronzes would follow in both events in Lima, giving him a record of four medals from four going into Munich.
That streak would unfortunately end for the Hungarian, finishing fifth in the 50m event and just missing the final for the 10m in 10th place. Responding to that, he would go on to win the 50m rifle 3 positions final at the European Championship.
Going to Ningbo, Peni looked to bounce back from the Munich disappointment and he would again come close to the medals in the 10m air rifle, finishing fourth in a close battle with the Korean Park Ha-jun.
The back end of the season has not had the same momentum as the start, but he again has qualified in both of his events for the ISSF World Cup Final, where he has five podiums including wins in both events in 2017 and 2024. Last time out Peni was the runner-up to Sheng in this event and will fancy getting back to that top spot.
Jon-Hermann Hegg
Nation: Norway
World Cup Ranking: 4
Qualification: ISSF World Cup rankings
Much like Istvan Peni, Jon-Hermann Hegg has been threatening in both the 10m and 50m distances this year. And just like the Hungarian, the Norwegian won gold and silver in a single leg, doing so in Munich. In Germany, he missed the double as Ilia Marsov won the gold.
Elsewhere this season, he placed fifth in Lima, while failing to qualify in Ningbo in 20th in an otherwise successful week where he took bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions and mixed team gold.
It will also be a return to Doha, where he took bronze on his ISSF World Cup Final debut two years ago in the 50m 3 positions final. This time, he will hope to excel in the 10m air rifle competition.
All qualifiers for the ISSF World Cup Final can be found here and all World Cup rankings here.
Highest-ranked non-qualifiers still in contention: Jack Rossiter (Australia), Victor Lindgren (Sweden), Park Ha-jun (Republic of Korea)
Nation: Norway
World Cup Ranking: 4
Qualification: ISSF World Cup rankings
Much like Istvan Peni, Jon-Hermann Hegg has been threatening in both the 10m and 50m distances this year. And just like the Hungarian, the Norwegian won gold and silver in a single leg, doing so in Munich. In Germany, he missed the double as Ilia Marsov won the gold.
Elsewhere this season, he placed fifth in Lima, while failing to qualify in Ningbo in 20th in an otherwise successful week where he took bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions and mixed team gold.
It will also be a return to Doha, where he took bronze on his ISSF World Cup Final debut two years ago in the 50m 3 positions final. This time, he will hope to excel in the 10m air rifle competition.
All qualifiers for the ISSF World Cup Final can be found here and all World Cup rankings here.
Highest-ranked non-qualifiers still in contention: Jack Rossiter (Australia), Victor Lindgren (Sweden), Park Ha-jun (Republic of Korea)