Tamil Nadu’s shotgun shooter Prithviraj Tondaiman hopes to bag Paris Olympic quota place at Baku World Championship

Emphasis on quality training, coupled with a change in weapon at the beginning of this year has paid rich dividends, feels Tamil Nadu’s 36-year-old international trap shooter R Prithviraj Tondaiman.

Tondaiman is among three male trap shooters selected by NRAI (National Rifle Association of India) for the upcoming Baku World Championship, scheduled to be held from August 14 to September 1 in Azerbaijan.

It will be Tondaiman’s fourth World Championship and he wants to make a big impression in Baku as it offers Paris Olympic Games quota places. The Tamil Nadu shotgun shooter is hopeful of winning the quota place.

"I’ve been working hard to earn a place in the national team," the international shooter told Sportskeeda over the phone from Chennai.

He will also represent India at the Hangzhou Asian Games, scheduled to be held in September.

“Meticulous training plan since January has paid off. Foreign expert Russell Mark did a world of wonder to my shooting. It was quality training and not quantity. It worked out well for me,” Tondaiman said. “The emphasis has also been on a single shot practice to prepare for the final.”

Earlier this year, the international shotgun shooter also changed his weapon.

“It has been quite productive for me,” Tondaiman explained. “The preparations have been on expected lines. I’m sure of winning an Olympic quota place at Baku World Championship.”

Russell, however, quit his job recently and is not associated with the NRAI anymore.

The national team will also compete at the Lonato Shotgun World Cup in Italy prior to the Baku World Championship.

Last year, India’s Bhowneesh Mendiratta won men’s trap Paris Olympic quota place at the 2022 Shotgun World Championship in Osijek, Croatia, where he finished fourth. The top four in each individual events were eligible to win Paris Olympic Games quota places.

As per norms of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), each country or the national federation is entitled to two quota places in each of the Olympic disciplines.

Vikram Chopra, the national trap team coach, said that the shooters have been performing exceptionally well during the domestic competitions and expectations are high for the Baku World Championship.

“Kynan Chenai has made a comeback to the national squad while Rajeswari Kumari has also been brilliant in the final during the trials,” the national trap coach added.

The 2023 Asian Championship and Asian Shotgun Championship in 2024 will be two other competitions that offer Paris Olympic Games quota places.

National squad

Men: Trap: R Prithviraj Tondaiman, Kynan Chenai, Zoravar Singh Sandhu.

Women: Manisha Keer, Preeti Rajak, Rajeshwari Kumari.

Mixed trap team: R Prithviraj Tondaiman and Manish Kheer. Kynan Chenai and Preeti Rajak.

Men: Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Angadvir Singh Bajwa, Gurjoat Singh Khangura 28 years.

Women: Ganemat Sekhon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Darshna Rathore.

Mixed skeet team: Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Ganemat Sekhon. Angadvir Singh Bajwa and Parinaaz Dhaliwal.