Shooting at Youth Olympics 2018: Can the Indian quartet strike gold?

Following highly successful campaigns at the Commonwealth Games 2018, the sport lovers are now waiting for their next dose of action. Even as the ISSF World Shooting Championships, the first official event for qualification of any sport to Tokyo Olympics 2020 is underway, the Indian sports fans are more eager for the upcoming Youth Olympics, to be held at Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 18 October 2018.

For the first time since the inception of the Youth Olympics, India is sending its largest contingent ever, with a total of a whopping 47 contenders for the ultimate glory: the Youth Olympics podium. While there are a significant variety of sports to focus on, the sporting freaks would primarily give attention first to one of the most high profile sports of them all: Shooting, which has been India's strength at senior level for the past 14 years.

Shooting at Youth Olympics: A surprisingly empty spot for India

Despite India slowly and steadily converting itself into a shooting superpower, the Youth Olympics medal tally has been surprisingly empty. Though they have managed to make the cut for finals, none of them could rise above lowly places from 5th to 8th position.

But not this time. On a historic note, India made a record this year by capturing all the Youth Olympics quotas on offer, i.e. 4 athletes per nation. What's better, they all are classic stalwarts of their field and have won impressive medals at the ISSF World Cup, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games. As such, an impressive performance is surely expected from them.

The quartet on the mission: Can they deliver India's first ever Youth Olympics gold medal?

India has participated in both the edition of the Youth Olympics, where they won a staggering eight medals comprising 6 silvers in the inaugural edition and just 2 medals in the next edition, none being gold. So can the shooters give India their first Youth Olympics gold medal? Let's find out:-

Saurabh Chaudhary

While others may or may not have a good chance, this young lad from Meerut is now a top favourite for India's first ever gold medal at Youth Olympics. Having won the Asian Championships, the qualifiers for the Youth Olympics with ease, Saurabh Chaudhary shocked one and all, when he dislodged the top favourites from Vietnam and South Korea, Olympic champion Hoang Xuan Vinh and World Champion Jin Jong Oh respectively to win the coveted gold medal at the Jakarta Asian Games 2018.

Saurabh snatched the top spot from the frontrunner Tomoyuki Matsuda of Japan in the last two shots to win the gold medal. As if this was enough, he smashed the junior world record at the recently held ISSF World Championships, clinching the gold medal with flying colours.

Incidentally, he wasn't included in the senior team for the same event, otherwise, his score of 245.5 in the finals was enough to dislodge the present champion Jin Jong Oh from his spot with elan and also make the cut for Tokyo 2020 by the virtue of being in the Top 4. We hope that he performs the same way at the Youth Olympics, and gives India a reason to cheer.

Manu Bhaker

Though her credibility has hit a low owing to her agonizing misses at the Asian Games, this 16-year-old shooter is still a top bet for an awesome performance at the Youth Olympics, if not a certain gold medal. She is the youngest gold medalist at any ISSF World Cup edition.

Though she didn't compete in the junior edition of the ongoing ISSF World Championships, she still packs a punch when it comes to competing in her own category. As such, Manu is the second Indian shooter after Saurabh Chaudhary, who can be expected to shine at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics, and bring the elusive gold for India.

Mehuli Ghosh

All of 17, this diligent pupil of ex-Olympian Joydeep Karmakar is another strong bet for a power packed performance at the Youth Olympics 2018. Having missed the gold medal at Commonwealth Games 2018 by a whisker, she was surprisingly dropped from the Asian Games squad, despite being the better candidate as compared to her compatriots. Yet, she is far from being dismissed as a top contender for the podium finish at the Youth Olympics. Who knows if she can even garner a gold?

Tushar Mane

Though relatively unknown as compared to the rest, this underrated shooter has the capability to spring up a surprise at the Youth Olympics. A Khelo India champion, he has a promising future ahead, and a Youth Olympics gold will only help him to overcome bigger challenges in the future.

Edited by Vikshith R