The absence of the Paris Olympic medallists notwithstanding, hosts India will not be short on firepower when they compete in the season-ending World Cup Final, starting from Tuesday, with Rhythm Sangwan headlining a 23-member squad. The Paris Olympics medallists automatically qualify for the tournament, but Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, who won the bronze, have opted to skip the event to be staged at the Dr. Karni Singh Range.

Besides Rhythm, rising stars such as Ganemat Sekhon (women’s skeet) and Sonam Maskar (women’s 10m air rifle) will look to excel in the tournament, having earned their spots based on world rankings.

The Indian squad features nine athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics, including Arjun Babuta (men’s 10m air rifle), Anish Bhanwala (men’s 25m rapid fire pistol.

Rhythm will compete in both the women’s 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events.

The other Olympians in the squad include Mairaj Ahmad Khan (men’s skeet), Divyansh Singh Panwar (men’s 10m air rifle), and Chain Singh (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions).

Also ready to shoot in the World Cup Final are Arjun Singh Cheema (men’s 10m air pistol), Vijayveer Sidhu (men’s 25m rapid fire pistol), Anantjeet Singh Narukha (men’s skeet), Maheshwari Chauhan (women’s skeet), Rajeshwari Kumari (women’s trap) and Shreyasi Singh (women’s trap). All these shooters competed in the Paris Games.

There are four finals lined up on each of the three competition days in this traditional ISSF season-ending showdown between the best in the world. Due to host country norms, a minimum of two Indian shooters will be in action in each of the 12 individual Olympic events on the roster.

Action begins on Tuesday with the 10m air rifle women being the first final on the schedule, followed by the men’s final. The 10m air pistol men and women’s finals are also lined up on day one. All the finals will be preceded by qualification rounds.

131 of the world’s top shooters from 37 countries including multiple reigning Olympic champions participate in the competition which will determine the year’s best performers in each of the 12 individual Olympic events.

The world’s top six athletes of the combined six ISSF World Cup stages held throughout year, along with Paris Olympic medallists, defending ISSF World Cup Final champions and reigning world champions have achieved direct qualification in each of the 12 events.

Three events — men’s 10m air pistol, men’s trap and women’s 25m pistol — will see all three Paris Olympic medallists compete for the top prize of 5000 euros.

All reigning champions from the previous year in Doha will also be there to defend their titles.

President of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), Luciano Rossi, who is in the capital to attend the tournament, hailed India’s role in the growth of the sport.

“We’re excited to be in India for the ISSF World Cup Final, one of the most dedicated shooting sport nations in the world,” said Rossi.

“After a successful season for our athletes and a wonderful Olympic Games in Paris, this is the perfect opportunity for all to finish the season on a high,” he added.

National Rifle Association of India’s (NRAI) secretary general K Sultan Singh said, “Shooting sport has been witnessing huge rise in popularity and passion amongst the youth, women and specially abled athletes in the country which can be gauged by the laurels which has been achieved at the Olympics, Paralympics and continental championships. ” “We wish all the participants the very best and immensely thank the ISSF and the government of India for all their support in hosting and organising the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi.”

The father of Paris Olympics shooting bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale on Monday expressed disappointment over the Maharashtra government paying a prize money of Rs 2 crore to his son, saying Haryana doles out much higher amount for its athletes. Swapnil Kusale, who hails from Kolhapur, won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in 50m rifle 3 positions event in August. The 29-year-old’s father, Suresh Kusale, said his son should get Rs 5 crore prize money and a flat near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, and maintained the Haryana government gives much higher amounts for its Olympics medal winning athletes.

Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, Suresh Kusale claimed “The Haryana government gives Rs 5 crore to its each (Olympics medal winning) player (Haryana gives Rs 6 crore to a gold medallist, Rs 4 crore to silver medallist, Rs 2.5 crore to bronze winner).

“As per a new policy announced by the Maharashtra government, an Olympic bronze medal winner will get Rs 2 crore. Why does the state form such criteria when Swapnil was only the second individual Olympic medal winner from Maharashtra (after wrestler K D Jadhav in 1952) in 72 years?” Five individuals won medals in the Paris Olympics for India of which four were from Haryana and one, Swapnil Kusale, from Maharashtra. Haryana is a much smaller state compared to Maharashtra, but it gives higher prize money to its medal winning athletes, he said.

“However, our government has announced Rs 5 crore for a gold medal winner, Rs 3 crore for a silver medallist and Rs 2 crore for a bronze medallist. Why have such a criteria when only two players from Maharashtra have won individual Olympic medals in so many years,” Suresh Kusale asked.

“Had I known such an outcome, I would have persuaded him to explore a career in some other sports. Is the amount kept low because Swapnil is from a humble background? Would the reward amount have remained the same if he had been the son of an MLA or a minister?” he wondered.

Suresh Kusale said the 50-meter-three-position rifle shooting arena in the sports complex should be named after his son.

“Swapnil should get Rs 5 crore as an award, a flat near Balewadi Sports Stadium so that he could easily commute for practice. Swapnil’s name should be given to the 50-meter-three-position rifle shooting arena,” he said when asked about his demands.

After his Paris feat, the ace marksman was promoted by his employer Central Railway and appointed an officer on special duty.

The Maharashtra government recently announced doubling the prize money to players winning medals at major sports events, including Olympics, World Championships and Asian Games, among others.

Indian Olympic Association Treasurer Sahdev Yadav on Tuesday hit back at president PT Usha for claiming that IOA Executive Committee members were not agreeing on a proposal to felicitate Paris Olympics medal-winners, saying her assertion is a “blatant lie”. Usha on Monday said that it was “deeply concerning” that the EC members failed to honour Olympic medallists and accused the Finance Committee of blocking funds intended to support Indian athletes’ preparation for the Paris Games.

In a rebuttal to Usha’s claims, Sahdev said, “… there has been no discussion with EC members nor any official proposal in writing for organizing a felicitation ceremony for the medallists of Paris Olympics 2024.” Sahdev, who is also the president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, accused Usha of “spreading lies” and “cooking up” things instead of taking responsibilities as per the IOA constitution.

“…we fail to understand why IOA President is spreading lies across the whole country, to put down the EC members, which does not have any proof nor hold any genuine ground,” he said.

“… her repeated efforts and proposals are nothing but blatant lies which has been cooked by the President every now and then and shedding crocodile tears in front of the media.” India secured six medals in the Paris Olympics, including two historic bronze finishes by young shooter Manu Bhaker, but Usha on Monday said the “EC does not want to celebrate their success” and it makes her “very sad.” “These athletes have made the nation proud, and it is the responsibility of the IOA to celebrate their achievements with the respect they deserve.

“It is deeply concerning that, even after returning home in mid-August, the EC has failed to discuss or take any steps towards organizing a formal felicitation ceremony,” she had said in a statement.

She had also revealed that a proposal for a preparatory grant of Rs two lakh for each Olympic-bound athlete and Rs one lakh for each coach had been blocked by the Finance Committee, notably by Sahdev.

Reacting to this, Sadev said, “This is for the information of everyone that any proposal recommended and approved by the EC members and finance committee has been paid without any delay by Mr Sahdev Yadav, Treasurer of IOA.” The internal feud within the IOA has been on since the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as its CEO on January 5. Iyer has Usha’s backing while the EC members are unanimous in demanding his removal.

The bone of contention has been his salary of Rs 20 lakh per month, along with perks.

On September 26, an EC meeting was called to resolve the issue on the insistence of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but the deadlock remained.

On Saturday, the 12 EC members sent a letter to senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Jerome Poivey, accusing Usha of running the organisation in an “autocratic” manner after she rejected their demand to remove Iyer as IOA CEO during the contentious meeting.

Usha had called the accusations “malicious and false,” asserting that they were aimed at undermining her leadership and the efforts to improve Indian sports.

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra believes there was a scope of “more conversions” for Indian shooters at the Paris Games but overall it was a campaign which they should be proud of. India clinched six medals overall with three in shooting as Manu Bhaker became the first ever athlete from the country post Independence to earn two podium finishes in a single edition of Olympics. Alongside winning a bronze medal in women’s 10m air pistol, Manu grabbed another bronze in mixed 10m air pistol shooting with Sarabjot Singh as her teammate. India got another bronze when Swapnil Kusale finished third in the final of the 50m rifle 3 positions event in Paris.

“There have been misses, but everyone has fought well,” Bindra told Jio Cinema.

“Outcomes are important, but more than that, it’s about seeing how you’ve improved as a nation in terms of performance. If you look at those elements, we’ve performed better than before. We’d like to see more conversions to medals, but we have a lot to be proud of,” he said.

Bindra praised Manu for patching up with coach Jaspal Rana and for working in tandem for her success.

“He (Rana) is a treasure trove of knowledge, a hard taskmaster and that’s a good thing. I had coaches I loved and ones I severely disliked but found a way to work with them.” “I credit Manu for having patched up with Jaspal after a difficult couple of years, which is normal in a coach-athlete relationship. Athletes are sensitive people and when we’re under pressure, that sensitivity heightens,” he explained.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist shooter Bindra said Manu’s success in Paris was a story of resilience.

“She’s taught everyone about resilience, how to sail well, and bounce back from disappointment. The greatest moment was when she finished qualification on day one, I saw a picture of hers and she didn’t have a smile on her face. That told me she was going to do well,” he said.

Bindra said Kusale’s focus on his preparations was the standout factor.

“He was very strategic in his preparation. A lot of athletes made the long trip from Chateauroux to Paris for the opening ceremony, but Swapnil decided not to. He seemed to be a very self-aware athlete, he knew where his body and mind were,” he said.

“He didn’t want to let go of energy, something he needed for competition. Sometimes, that’s the difference between coming back with a medal or not,” Bindra added.

Bindra, however, admitted only time will heal Arjun Babuta’s wounds who finished fourth in men’s 10m air rifle event.

“I spoke to him before and after the event, he was disappointed, but he was already looking ahead. He’ll need a little bit of time to come to terms with a fourth-place finish, but that’s life, that’s what sports is all about,” Bindra said.

The Indian contingent ended Paris Olympics 2024 with six medals – one lesser than their tally at the previous Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. It was a mixed show from India as multiple athletes finished 4th in their respective categories and missed out on a medal by the smallest of margins. Shooter Manu Bhaker was the top performer with two medals – a unique feat by an athlete from independent India – while Neeraj Chopra claimed the sliver medal in men’s javelin throw. The Indian men’s hockey team claimed their second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics thanks to a great show by skipper Harmanpreet Singh. A look at all the cash prizes that the Paris Olympics 2024 medalists will receive –

Manu Bhaker (Shooting)

Manu Bhaker scripted history by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in the same edition of the Olympics. She was awarded a cash prize of Rs 30 lakh by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya. The 22-year-old was also one of India’s flag bearers at the Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony.

Sarabjot Singh (Shooting)

Sarabjot Singh won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Manu Bhaker. The 22-year-old from Ambala was awarded a Rs 22.5 lakh cheque by Mansukh Mandaviya through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ cash award scheme. He was also offered a job by the Haryana government as a show of appreciation but he decided to decline the offer.

Swapnil Kusale (Shooting)

Swapnil Kusale became the first Indian shooter ever to win bronze in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Position event at the Olympics. Following his success, Swapnil was appointed as an offer on special duty by the Central Railway. He also received a prize of Rs 1 crore from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Indian men’s hockey team

The Indian men’s hockey team won their second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics after defeating Spain 2-1. It was the perfect farewell for goalkeeper PR Sreejesh who was also one of the flag bearers in the closing ceremony. Hockey India has announced a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh for each member of the team and Rs 7.5 lakh for each member of the support staff. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi has announced a prize of Rs 4 crore for defender Amit Rohidas. He also announced a prize of Rs 15 lakh for each player and Rs 10 lakh for each support staff member. In Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a prize of Rs 1 crore for all squad members from the state. That also included captain Harmapreet Singh who was the top-scorer at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw)

Neeraj Chopra claimed silver at the Paris Olympics 2024 javelin throw event with the gold medal going to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who broke the Olympic record with a monster 92.97m throw. While no official announcement has been made about Neeraj’s cash prizes, it is expected that he will receive multiple awards from various sources. In 2021, when he claimed gold at the Tokyo Olympics, he was awarded a cash prize of Rs 6 crore by the Haryana Government.

Aman Sehrawat (Wrestling)

Aman Sehrawat was the only Indian wrestler to win a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 as he claimed bronze in the 57m freestyle event. He also became the youngest Indian athlete to win an Olympics medal. No official announcement has been made about the cash prizes he will receive.

Swapnil Kusale after winning bronze medal in Paris Olympics 2024.© AFP

India shooter Swapnil Kusale at Paris Olympics 2024© AFP

Following Swapnil Kusale’s historic bronze medal win in shooting at the ongoing Paris Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha lauded the shooter for his performance and talked about her own emotions while catching up with the match. Kusale won the bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3P event at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Thursday. Kusale also became the first Indian shooter to win a medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3P event.

Following the win, while talking to ANI, Usha said, “It was very exciting and a proud moment for us. I was so nervous and my heart was beating so fast because at one point he was sixth, he climbed upto fourth. From there, he reached the second spot and then went down to fourth. The last minute was exciting.”

Usha expressed happiness with the shooting contingent, who has grabbed all the three (all bronze) medals won at Paris so far, saying that they are making history by putting up their best-ever Olympics performance.

On Manu Bhaker’s double bronze and the possibility of a medal hat-trick after the women’s 25 m pistol event, Usha said that medals were being expected from Manu.

“We were in contact with the coach Jaspal Rana, we helped him whenever he had problems. We knew that Manu was going to win. Now, we are expecting another medal from her,” said Usha.

Talking about the expectations from athletics contingent, she said that athletics is a very tough discipline and medals are being expected from defending javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra and steeplechase racers.

On whether India will touch double figures in Paris, Usha said, “It should be. By the time we host 2036 Olympics, for which we are trying, we should be expecting a top 10 finish in Olympics.”

Kusale clinched the bronze medal for India in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men’s Final after finishing in third place with an aggregate of 451.4. He secured India’s 3rd medal in shooting overall.

Earlier in the qualification round, Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale finished seventh in the qualification round of men’s 50m 3P to qualify for the final at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

Indian shooters Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Swapnil Kusale both appeared in the men’s 50m 3P qualification round at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

On his Olympic debut, Kusale finished seventh with a score of 590-38x. While Tomar ranked 11th with a total of 589-33x. Only the top eight shooters qualified for the final round, and Tomar failed to make his place in the final round.

People’s Republic of China’s Liu Yukun registered the qualification Olympic record with a total of 594-38x.

Kusale was also the first Indian shooter to make a place in the men’s 50m rifle 3P medal event at the Olympics.

Earlier at the multi-sport event, India shooter Manu Bhaker opened the nation’s account with a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event.

The Paris Olympics has been a redemption arc for Manu after her pistol malfunctioned at the Tokyo Olympics. She made history by becoming the first Indian woman in 20 years to reach a shooting final in an individual event of the Olympics since Suma Shirur in 2004.

The Indian shooting duo of Manu and Sarabjot Singh got the better of South Korea’s Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off match in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

The parents of Olympic shooting bronze medalist Swapnil Kusale on Thursday said they were sure he would win a medal for the “tricolour and the country”. “We let him focus on his work and didn’t even call him yesterday so that he should not get distracted,” Swapnil’s father Suresh Kusale told reporters in Kolhapur, soon after their son won a bronze for India in Paris. “For the last 10 to 12 years, he was mostly away from home, focusing on his marksmanship. I was sure he would win a medal for India and wouldn’t let the tricolour down. “People have been calling up incessantly to congratulate us,” said Suresh, a school teacher. As Swapnil shot to glory in the 50m rifle 3 positions event, taking India’s tally to three at the Paris Games on Thursday, his family and friends exploded in joy at his home in Kolhapur district.

His mother Anita, who had been praying just moments before, burst into tears. Other family members and neighbours watching the event live exulted, filling the air with “Bharat Mata ki Jai”.

Suresh said they could not put into words the efforts they had made for their son over the last several years. “But it was his sheer hard work and determination that paid off today,” said the ecstatic father, who apparently spent about Rs 25 lakh on Swapnil’s training.

As he expressed immense pride in Swapnil for bringing fame to their village, Suresh also thanked his coach, Dipali Deshpande, saying she took great care of him.

Swapnil’s mother said the family hails from Kambalwadi village in Radhanagari tehsil of Kolhapur district in western Maharashtra.

“He studied in a public school and developed a liking for shooting while at Sangli,” she said. He later went to Nashik for further training in the sport, added Anita, who is also the sarpanch of their village.

Swapnil’s brother expressed his gratitude to all the countrymen for supporting and believing in the 28-year-old shooter.

The medal for Swapnil comes following the stunning performance of Manu Bhaker, who clinched the women’s 10m air pistol and mixed team 10m air pistol bronze alongside Sarabjot Singh.

Swapnil, who finished seventh in a tightly-contested qualification on Wednesday, has been working as a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) in the Central Railway’s Pune division since 2015 and is a big fan of cricket icon MS Dhoni.

“I don’t follow anyone specific in the shooting world. Outside of that, I admire Dhoni for the person that he is. My sport requires me to be as calm and patient as he is on the field. I also relate to his story as I am a ticket collector like he was,” Kusale had told PTI on Wednesday.