CHENNAI: The elite shotgun shooters from the country are currently taking part in the ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
There are no Olympic quotas on offer but the event holds a fair amount of significance as the shooters will be looking to garner the Qualification Ranking for Olympic Games (QROG) points. One of ISSF's (world governing body) eligibility criteria is that the shooters must "be listed in the Qualification Ranking for the Olympic Games (QROG) with at least one ranking point achieved for each of the individual events they are to be entered for at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games".
Apart from the national ranking, the National Rifle Association of India, the governing body of the sport in the country, will also consider QROG while determining the shooters for Paris Games. As per NRAI's amended selection criteria, which was published in April last year, "the best 3 results from Olympic Trials 1, 2, 3 & 4 will select teams for the 2024 Olympic Games".
The said trails have already been conducted. The first two trials were held in New Delhi in December while the third trial was held in Patiala in February-March. The final trials were held in Bhopal.
As per tentative ranking, which was published after the trials, Prithviraj Tondaiman tops the charts in the men's trap discipline while quota earner Bhowneesh Mendiratta is ranked third. Both of them are part of the Baku event, which also features shooters from rifle and pistol discipline. Prithviraj was placed at 48th spot after the three rounds of qualification stage on Saturday while the latter was 10 spots ahead of him. As per the QROG on April 4, Prithviraj is the best-ranked Indian at No 14 with 6796 rating. Bhowneesh is at 18th spot with 5833 rating.
Maheshwari Chauhan, who recently sealed a second quota for India in the women's skeet discipline, was ranked third after the aforementioned Olympic trials but that was before she won the quota. She is due to get a bonus for winning the quota.
Ganemat Sekhon, who's also due to take part in Baku, is placed second behind Raiza Dhillon, the other quota winner, in the national ranking. As per the latest QROG, Ganemat is No 19 with 4784 rating while Maheshwari and Raiza are 43rd and 51st, respectively.
"It is an important event (Baku). The shooters will be looking to gain ranking points. That will also be taken into consideration while finalising the team," K Sultan Singh, NRAI secretary general, said.
The NRAI is likely to announce the team for the Olympics after the Lonato World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in June. Moreover, the two World Cups will give shooters a big opportunity to gain some exposure ahead of Paris. "The shotgun shooters have done well to earn five quotas. It's a massive chance for the shooters as it's a high-quality field. They will get a chance to gauge the field and learn," Singh said.
It will be interesting to see what progress they make before the NRAI announces the team for the Olympics.