avishek.roy@htlive.com
New Delhi: Even as Indian shooters go through the grind of domestic trials, the selection for the Asian Games will not be a straight pick from the rankings. Medal-winning prospects and shooters who are good in two events will also be considered ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Games in September. This is because the organisers have reduced quotas for the sport and India can have 15 shooters each in the men’s and women’s teams which will require more common shooters to travel with the team than in the previous edition.
In the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, India had fielded a 33-member squad that had three shooters who competed in two events. It made up for the 36 places in 28 events in rifle, pistol and shotgun, allowing India to fight for all the individual, team and mixed team medals.
This time due to fewer participants being allowed, discussions have begun around common shooters who can deliver results in more than one event. Since shotgun is expected to get six slots each for trap and skeet events, the rifle and pistol disciplines will have to be filled with common shooters to allow participation in team competitions — scores of three shooters are added for team results.
India finished with seven gold, nine silver and six bronze medals in Hangzhou and will be looking to increase its tally in Japan.
“We have to discuss every possibility before selecting the team,” national pistol head coach Samresh Jung told HT. “In trap and skeet events there cannot be common shooters, so the full six berths (in men) go there. That means we have to pick nine shooters for 12 slots in air pistol, rapid fire, air rifle and 3-position events. We have to select more common shooters compared to last time. So we have to see our strength and discuss how to maximise our medal chances.”
In the previous edition, Aishwarya Pratap Tomar was the only common shooter in the men’s team and he competed in air rifle and rifle 3-position, winning four medals. In the women’s team, Esha Singh (pistol) and Ashi Chouksey (rifle) competed in two disciplines.
When it comes to shooters doing well in multiple events, the women’s team are in a better position this time as well. With double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and world championships medallist Esha Singh in the top three in the rankings in air pistol and 25m pistol events (till selection trials 2), it can allow the selectors flexibility in choosing the women’s rifle squad.
Tilottama Sen has been in form in both air rifle and rifle 3P events, but it remains to be seen how she fares in World Cups.
With an eye on the Asian Games, Rudrankksh Patil too started 3P and has done extremely well to be in the top three in the rankings, while maintaining a good position in his pet 10m air rifle.
The men’s pistol squad that will be the most difficult to select. “In rifle and pistol, we have to see events where we have greater chances of winning medals and pick the team accordingly,” said Jung, one of India’s best pistol shooters. “The problem will be in air pistol and rapid fire because it is extremely difficult to find anyone who is shooting both events at a high level.”
In rapid fire, India have a high-quality field, including world silver medallist Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer Sidhu. In 10m air pistol, India have world champion Samrat Rana and world medallist Varun Tomar. All of them will be fighting for berths and hope they feature in the calculations as well.
