India is set to field a strong 23-member squad for the season-ending ISSF World Cup Final, scheduled from October 13 to 18 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the team on Thursday, which features nine members from the Paris Olympics team, who returned with three bronze medals.
The most notable entry in the squad is Rhythm Sangwan, who will be the only Indian shooter to compete in two events – the women’s 10m air pistol and the 25m pistol. Double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker has opted for a three-month rest following her exploits in the Paris Games.
The competition will see 11 Indian Olympians vying for the title of the best shooter of the year, battling it out against the world’s best in 12 individual Olympic events. Bhaker, who created history in Paris by winning bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event (paired with Sarabjot Singh), is not participating in this tournament. However, the Indian shooters participating in the prestigious tournament will be looking to carry on the momentum at the familiar range.
“We have a strong squad of proven performers for the ISSF year-ender and look forward to a strong performance. Expectations from the sport have reached sky-high after the Paris performance…,” said Sultan Singh, secretary general, NRAI.
The selection process for the squad involved a mix of direct selections and Olympic trials rankings. Four shooters – Divyansh Singh Panwar (men’s 10m air rifle), Sonam Uttam Maskar (women’s 10m air rifle), Rhythm (women’s 10m air pistol & 25m pistol), and Ganemat Sekhon (women’s skeet) – were selected directly by ISSF. The rest of the squad members were picked based on their Olympic trials rankings.
The 20-year-old Rhythm will be joined by Surbhi Rao in the women’s 10m air pistol competition. Experienced shooters and Olympians Mairaj Ahmed Khan (men’s skeet) and Chain Singh (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions) have made their return to the team.
Besides Rhythm, other Paris Olympians in the squad include Arjun Babuta (men’s 10m air rifle), Arjun Singh Cheema (men’s 10m air pistol), Anish and Vijayveer Sidhu (men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol), Shreyasi Singh and Rajeshwari Kumari (women’s trap), Maheshwari Chauhan (women’s skeet), and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka (men’s skeet).
The Indian squad is poised to put on a strong performance and build on the success achieved in the Paris Games. The team’s selection reflects the depth and talent within Indian shooting, and fans are eager to see how the shooters perform on the world stage.
