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India's consistent rise as a potential powerhouse in shooting makes the country's marksmen firm favorites for podium finishes at the Tokyo Olympics. The number of Olympic berths, which stands at a record 15, is a true reflection of India's success at the international level.
Shooting in recent years has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity, primarily sparked by the emergence of teenagers like Saurabh Chaudhary, Manu Bhaker, Elavenil Valarivan, and others.
But India’s connection with the Olympic sport goes back a lot further. The success of Olympic medalists Rajyavardhan Rathore and Abhinav Bindra had already made India a force to reckon with at the highest level of the game. And it is only natural to presume that more shooting stars will follow in their footsteps at the global sporting showpiece.
Decoding India's top medal contenders at Tokyo Olympics
Based on their past achievements in the international circuit, let us take a look at the Indian shooters who could make their presence felt at the Tokyo Olympics.
#1 Manu Bhaker
Currently ranked World No. 2, ace pistol shooter Manu Bhaker has outclassed the biggest names in the sport. With two World Cup medals secured this year, she looks prepared to make a statement at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 19-year-old will have a shot at earning medals across three different events, including individual 10m Air Pistol and 25m Air Pistol events, and 10m Air Pistol mixed team event. Bhaker is only the second Indian to be fielded in three different events at a single edition of the Olympics. Naturally, her participation across multiple Olympic events will heighten medal chances for India.
#2 Saurabh Chaudhary
India has one of its finest shooters in Saurabh Chaudhary. He is the only Indian shooter to clinch titles in five major competitions, including the World Championships, World Cup, Youth Olympic Games, Asian Games and Asian Air Gun Championships.
Chaudhary will enter Tokyo as the outright favorite to become the youngest Olympic champion. Apart from his pet event (10m Air Pistol), the 19-year-old will have another shot at a podium finish in the mixed pistol event alongside Bhaker at the Tokyo Olympics.
#3 Abhishek Verma
31-year-old Abhishek Verma won hearts for bagging the bronze on his international debut at the 2018 Asian Games, alongside gold medalist Saurabh Chaudhary. He underlined his potential by winning silver at the World Championships the same year.
The improvement since 2018 has been stellar, revealing his commitment and focus. Verma has molded himself into one of the most successful and formidable male shooters on the professional circuit.
He further cemented his position as one of India’s biggest Olympic medal hopes with two World Cup medals this year. With the confidence he has gained, Verma will definitely be a key competitor at the Tokyo Olympics.
#4 Divyansh Singh Panwar
Divyansh Panwar’s career breakthrough kickstarted at the 2018 Junior World Cup tournament, where he notched up two mixed team titles. The following year proved to be the best-ever season of his career after he bagged multiple titles that also included a 10m Air Rifle gold at the World Cup.
With a total of six World Cup medals that year, Panwar ascended to the pinnacle of the world rankings. The 22-year-old is currently second in the world rankings and is one of the best bets for Indian shooting to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
#5 Yashaswini Deswal
Yashaswini Deswal has been one of the most consistent performers in Indian shooting. She first gave an exhibition of her talent by finishing sixth in the 10m Air Pistol finals at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.
Much like Divyansh, Yashaswini's career breakthrough came in 2016 when she clinched three medals at the ISSF Junior World Cup. She sealed her quota place for the Tokyo Olympics by clinching top honors at the ISSF Rio World Cup in 2019.
#6 Elavenil Valarivan
The 21-year-old Elavenil Valarivan is the only Indian shooter in the contingent to secure a Tokyo Olympics spot without winning a quota. Seeing her potential, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) swapped Anjum Moudgil's 10m Air Rifle quota in her favor.
Ranked World No. 1 in her event, Valarivan looks well-equipped to mount a tough challenge in Tokyo this summer. She will represent India in the 10m Air Rifle event alongside Rio Olympian Apurvi Chandela. Valarivan will have another shot at an Olympic medal when she teams up with Panwar in the 10m Air Rifle mixed team event.
Also Read: Tokyo Olympics will be our best-ever Olympic performance, says shooter Abhishek Verma
