The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is set to send the winners of the Olympic selection trials to represent India at the Paris Olympics. The decision was made by the selection committee after a meeting held in Delhi and Bhopal. The shooters who emerged victorious in the trials will have the opportunity to showcase their talent on the world stage.
Some key points discussed by the NRAI selection committee include the performance of Rudrankksh Patil, who narrowly missed out on a Paris berth despite being the 2022 world champion in men’s 10m air rifle. Other notable participants at the trials were Sandeep Singh and Arjun Babuta, who secured quota places for the country.
While no official announcement has been made yet, the selection committee is inclined to stick to the results of the trials as the basis for selecting the Olympic team. This decision has sparked some controversy, with shooters like Rudrankksh expressing their desire to be considered for selection based on their past performances in international tournaments.
In addition, NRAI will need to redistribute an extra quota slot in pistol events, with Manu Bhaker emerging victorious in both the 10m and 25m pistol trials. The spare quota is expected to be allocated to the women’s trap event, with the final decision to be made after the ISSF World Cup (Shotgun) in Italy.
India has secured a total of 16 quotas in rifle and pistol events, breaking records with 21 quota places for the Olympics. With a strong determination to achieve success in Paris, Indian shooters are gearing up to turn their talent into medals after falling short at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
Overall, the Indian shooting contingent is poised for success at the Paris Olympics, with a mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers ready to take on the world’s best shooters. The selection process has been a rigorous one, ensuring that only the most deserving athletes get the chance to represent their country on the biggest stage in sports.
