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Indian shooters look to fire big after a year's halt
“The situation is such that they might not get another international competition after this World Cup,” said rifle coach Deepali Deshpande. “We do not know what will be their schedule from April. Everything is uncertain,” she said.
India’s Tokyo Olympics-bound shooters will compete in their first international event in more than a year at the ISSF World Cup starting at the Karni Singh Range in New Delhi today. With uncertainty hanging over the international calendar, it could well turn out to be their only major competition before the Tokyo Olympics.
Indian shooters have earned 15 quota places for Olympics and one more quota is expected in rapid fire based on world rankings.
Before the pandemic halted their progress in March last year, the shooters were at the top of their game. They were steadily peaking towards the Olympics, firing world record scores, and making podium finishes in major events. They were being seen as strong medal prospects for the Olympics. Since the cancellation of the World Cup around this time last year, their training has taken a hit. For six months they were mostly training at home and local ranges. There was no international or domestic competition. The national camp for elite shooters started in October and domestic trials took place in January-February. But an international competition against quality shooters will give a right assessment of their form.
More importantly, the shooters know it could be their only big-ticket event before the Tokyo Olympics.
“The situation is such that they might not get another international competition after this World Cup,” said rifle coach Deepali Deshpande. “We do not know what will be their schedule from April. Everything is uncertain,” she said.
The ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea, scheduled to be staged from April 16 to 27, has been postponed. The World Cup in Azerbaijan, Baku, in June, is too close to the Olympics.
The Chinese, German and Russian shooters have stayed away from the New Delhi World Cup, but there are many top shooters, who have booked their Olympic berths, who will participate. There are around 300 shooters from 53 countries participating. India has fielded a big contingent of 57 shooters.
It will also be one last opportunity for those in the fringes of selection to make a mark. World No.1 in women’s rifle, Elavenil Valarivan has not won a quota place but her performance would be closely monitored. The two quotas in women’s rifle have been won by Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela. Both seasoned campaigners were not at their best during the trials, having done some modification to their equipment.
They will be looking to bounce back and seal their Olympic berths. The National Rifle Association of India is yet to announce the team, though the selection process was completed last year.
“For one and half years there was no serious international competition, so naturally everybody is looking forward to it as part of preparation for Tokyo,” says Deepali.
In men’s air rifle too, India has world’s No.1 Divyansh Panwar, who was in good touch in the trials. But performing in a world class field that will have world No. 2 Peter Gorsa of Croatia and No. 3 Istvan Peni of Hungary.
In the 25m rapid fire, Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer Sidhu would be hoping to make it to the podium and help India seal a berth through the world rankings.
For the first time the World Cup programme will include 30 events: 12 Individual, 12 Team, and 6 mixed team events.
