Eyes fixed on Rio Olympic quotas, Indian shooters gun for Gold at World Cup

Indian hopes will be riding on the shoulders of Olympic medallist and World Number 6 Gagan Narang as the Indian shooting contingent braces itself for the World ps in Korea.Championshi

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The 25-member Indian shooting contingent participating at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle/ Pistol World Cup at Chagwon in Korea will be motivated by the 24 spots that are up for grabs for the Rio Olympics next year.

Jitu Rai, by virtue of finishing second in the 50m free pistol event at Granada in Spain last year, has already assured India of a quota place in the 2016 Olympics. All nations are entitled to a maximum of 30 quota places, with two participants in each event including those involving the shotgun. There are 14 quota places that the men will be competing for while the women shooters will fight for 10 quota places.

The Indian contingent will be competing in all ten disciplines in the tournament.

Optimistic about the team’s chances in the World Cup, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Raninder Singh said, "This is the year’s first big test for our Rifle and Pistol shooters and the squad is all fit and raring to go. We are confident that all team members will be putting their best foot forward and will continue to bring more glory to the nation, as they have been doing at the global stage for some years now.”

“We wish the squad all the very best and although the competition will be tough, we hope our talented shooters secure the maximum number of Olympic quota places as they possibly can”, he added.

While a lot will be expected from Jitu Rai, who is currently ranked ten in both the 50m pistol and the 10m air pistol disciplines, India will also be looking to Olympic medallist Gagan Narang, currently ranked world number six in 50m Rifle Prone and on Ayonika Paul, ranked seventh in women’s 10m air rifle.

Abhinav Bindra, the only athlete from India to have won the Olympic Gold (in an individual event), will also be competing in the 10m air rifle event while Heena Sidhu, former World Number one and Commonwealth Gold medallist will also be expected to step up to the occasion and deliver the goods. Sidhu’s recent return to form has buoyed many in the shooting community and she will be expected to carry on her good form into the World Championships.