Mumbai Based Shooter Ayonika Paul, who will participate in the first medal event at the Rio Olympics on August 6 left Olympics Village and opted for a stay at the service apartment to fully concentrate on her Shooting practice.
Ayonika's father, former swimming champion Ashim Paul, has requested the media not to create a controversy regarding these issues. In her debut Olympic venture, Ayonika did not take part in the inauguration March Past of the Indian team. Speaking to the Times of India, Ashim stated, “Ayonika has come to Rio with a dream. Apart from taking part in the Games, she is striving to win an Olympic Medal from here. It is difficult for her to concentrate if she stays in the village where the ambience is that of a carnival.”
The shooting Event is scheduled on Saturday, on the very next day after the opening ceremony. Shooting will mark the beginning of India's Olympics campaign with Ayonika and Apurvi Chandela cmopeting in the 10 metres air rifle shooting event.
Also read: Rio Olympics 2016, Shooting: Schedule and timings in IST
Ayonika did not speak to journalists regarding this matter as she was busy preparing for the event on Thursday. On her behalf, her father Ashim provided more information, "Ayonika is presently practising with her personal coach Suma Shirur and physio Purnima Raman. If everything goes well, you will witness her win an Olympic medal." The Indian camp has high hopes for Ayonika considering her strong will force. Her chief challengers will be China's Yi Siling and Germany's Sonja Pulsifer.
Shooters generally do not like a lot of noise and prefer to train and focus in isolation. The country has high hopes on a decent medal tally from the shooting events. Athletes such as Gagan Narang, Abhinav Bindra and Heena Sidhu are expected to do well while other members of the contingent such as Jitu Rai and Mairaj Ahmed Khan could provide India with a lot to cheer about come the end of the shooting schedule at Rio.
