Amid sanctions and uncertainty, 18-year-old Kamil Nuriakhmetov gave his team a reason to celebrate at the ISSF Junior World Cup in New Delhi. Competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN), the teenager captured gold in the men’s 50m rifle prone event on the opening day.
As he stood on the podium with the medal around his neck, his smile masked the bittersweet reality— there was no Russian anthem, only the AIN flag rising in silence.
This is my first international medal. I’ve been training for the last four years and the medal is good for me and my team.
He shot a score of 618.9 to edge out the field. Team-mate Sergei Novoselov narrowly missed bronze with 616.3, while Anastasiia Gorokhova finished fifth in the women’s 50m rifle prone.
Shooting Under Sanctions
The celebration was tinged with a sense of loss. Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the International Olympic Committee has barred Russian athletes from competing under their flag. They now enter as neutral athletes, as seen at the Paris 2024 Olympics and now at the Junior World Cup. The IOC has extended sanctions through the 2026 Winter Games, leaving the young shooters uncertain of their future.
It wasn’t easy when the anthem couldn’t be played. But this medal gives us hope.
Struggles Beyond The Range
For these athletes, success on the range often comes despite daily struggles back home. Kamil lives nearly 10 hours from Moscow and trains with limited facilities. Others in the squad face a shortage of equipment.
Sanctions have also driven up costs and restricted supply chains. Ammunition and equipment are harder to procure.
Earlier, we could order online. Now, manufacturers demand cash with no receipt. It’s a challenge.
Isolation From The Global Fraternity
Before the war, Russian coaches were a familiar presence in shooting ranges worldwide. Pavel Smirnov helped India prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Games, while Sergey Luzov guided the US team. Today, visa restrictions and sanctions have pushed Russian expertise to the margins, deepening isolation from the sport’s global fraternity.
Building For The Future
Still, hope persists. The Russian shooting body has expanded its youth programme, growing from 15 to more than 40 junior shooters in just a year. For them, international exposure is vital.
We are building towards Los Angeles 2028. The shooters believe the sanctions will end, or peace will return before then.
Until that day, medals like Kamil’s are more than victories. They are symbols of resilience — small rays of hope in the shadow of hardship.
