Rhythm Sangwan will be the only Indian shooter to compete in two events in the season-ending ISSF World Cup Final here after double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker opted for a three-month rest following her exploits in the Paris Games. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Thursday announced a 23-member Indian squad for the tournament that will be held across rifle, pistol and shotgun categories from October 13 to 18 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.
The squad features nine members from the Paris Olympics team which returned with three bronze medals.
A total of 11 Indian Olympians will gun for the title of the best shooter of the year along with the world’s best in 12 individual Olympic events.
The 22-year-old Bhaker scripted history for India in Paris as she won a bronze each in the women’s 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event (paired with Sarabjot Singh in the latter), and the Indian shooters participating in the prestigious tournament in the national capital will look 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.
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) have been selected by ISSF directly, while the rest of the members have been picked on the basis of their Olympic trials rankings.
The 20-year-old Rhythm will have Surbhi Rao for company in the women’s 10m air pistol competition.
Seasoned shooters and Olympians Mairaj Ahmed Khan (men’s skeet) and Chain Singh (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions) have returned to the team.
Besides Rhythm, the 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:
Air Rifle Men: Divyansh Singh Panwar, Arjun Babuta
Air Rifle Women: Sonam Uttam Maskar, Tilottama Sen
50M Rifle 3P Men: Chain Singh, Akhil Sheoran
50M Rifle 3P Women: Ashi Chouksey, Nischal
Air Pistol Men: Arjun Singh Cheema, Varun Tomar
Air Pistol Women: Rhythm Sangwan, Surbhi Rao
25M Rapid Fire Pistol Men: Anish, Vijayveer Sidhu
25M Sports Pistol Women: Rhythm Sangwan, Simranpreet Kaur Brar
Trap Men: Vivaan Kapoor, Bhowneesh Mendiratta
Trap Women: Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh
Skeet Men: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmad Khan
Skeet Women: Ganemat Sekhon, Maheshwari Chauhan.
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