New Delhi [India], June 11 : A 15-member Indian Rifle and Pistol team on Tuesday was announced by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), after a meeting of the senior selection committee, held virtually. There were no major surprises and the women's pistol ace and now going to be a two-time Olympian Manu Bhaker, would be the only athlete who would be participating in more than one individual event, the women's 10m air pistol and the women's 25m pistol.
The team has eight shooters in the rifle discipline and seven in the pistol. All the team members along with the coaches and support staff are currently in a camp in Volmerange-Les-Mines, France, mainly aimed at acclimatisation and hard training before they take a two-week break back home.
Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Senior Vice President, NRAI, said, "The selection committee met and deliberated at length. After deliberating at length, we feel we have selected the best team on current form as per merit and sticking to the policy. We are confident that everything has been put in place for the team to deliver. Given our depth in Rifle and Pistol, some very good shooters are not part of the squad. However, they will have a chance to make a comeback. We wish the squad all the very best."
He added, "May I also take this opportunity to, on behalf of the federation, thank the Government of India, the Ministry of Sports and the Sports of Authority of India, who have guided and supported us in every step of the preparations. We express our deepest gratitude."
K Sultan Singh, Secretary General, NRAI, says "The team is in good form & battle ready, consisting of as many as four Olympians and other senior shooters as well as a lot of extremely promising, confident & matured young talent. They have been training very systematically for a long time under the guidance and support of the entire training squad of the HPD, foreign coaches, national coaches, the sports science team, the physios etc. who have been steadfastly & minutely working towards one goal and that is to have a successful podium finish. We are confident that the team will make the Nation very proud in Paris."
India have earned 21 quotas in Shooting, a record, for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Besides all 16 possible shots at a medal, in eight individual rifle and pistol events, India will also have a record five starts across the four individual shotgun events. In addition, India will also field five mixed teams, two each in rifle and pistol and one in shotgun.
The Shotgun team will also be announced soon after the ongoing Lonato International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup. NRAI will also be looking to exchange the spare quota place which has freed up because of Manu making it to two events, appropriately as per ISSF rules.
The Indian Rifle and Pistol Team for the Paris Olympics 2024:
Rifle
Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta (10m Air Rifle M)
Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita (10m Air Rifle W)
Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil (50m Rifle 3 Positions W)
Aishwary Tomar, Swapnil Kusale (50m Rifle 3 Positions M)
Pistol
Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Cheema (10m Air Pistol M)
Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan (10m Air Pistol W)
Anish Bhanwal Vijayveer Sidhu (25m RFP M)
Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh (25m Pistol W).
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