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NRAI confirms appointment of Dradi, Falco as shotgun coaches
The Italians return after Australia's Russell and Lauryn Mark quit three months ago over a contract dispute with the shooting federation.
Italians Marcello Dradi and Ennio Falco have been appointed India's shotgun coaches following the National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) fallout with Australia's Russell and Lauryn Mark, who quit in May end. Dradi and Falco have been part of India's coaching set up before, with the former having had three stints. Falco resigned late in 2020 after his request to have a say in national team selection was rejected by NRAI.
"Both Dradi and Falco are back. All paperwork is done. They are experienced coaches and have spent years in India. They understand our system and our shooters very well. I'd say they are full value for money," NRAI secretary general K Sultan Singh said.
With less than a year to go for the Paris Olympics, familiarity was a major criterion for coaches' selection. "The shotgun shooters were without a coach for three months, so we needed people who understand them," he said.
Dradi is currently helming an 11-day preparatory camp with trap shooters in Brno, Czech Republic. The shooters will fly to World Championships in Baku from Brno before their event. The pre-event training for men's and women's trap shooters is scheduled for August 22.
"Dradi will accompany the shooters. His contract is till Paris Olympics and will be up for renewal on a yearly basis," Singh said.
Falco, a 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold medallist, too has taken over. Before accompanying the team to Baku, he held a preparatory camp in Capua to familiarise with the shooters.
NRAI, it is understood, considered at least 5-6 names for the two posts, including Australian trap legend Michael Diamond, a two-time Olympic champion (1996 and 2000). The options gradually thinned out with the Olympics on the horizon.
"Most top coaches are already in a contract with other countries. The Olympic qualification cycle is on, so we couldn't have waited any longer." Singh said. The federation has also appointed the seasoned Mansher Singh as a mentor for the trap team though he is not accompanying the team in Baku.
The hunt for a High Performance Manager for the shotgun team is still on. The deadline to send applications for the post — vacated by Lauryn Mark — expired on June 20 but NRAI is learned to have received a lukewarm response. "Well, we will appoint a suitable candidate as soon as we get one. We don't want to rush things for such critical post."
