India to name reserves in Tokyo Olympics shooting squad
To deal with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, India will name two reserves in each discipline where its shooters have won quota places for the Tokyo Olympics. It will ensure that replacements, if needed, can be selected without hassles, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president, Raninder Singh, said on Sunday.
He said the Olympics-bound team will remain in a bio-secure bubble and that he is “desperately trying to get the permission for inoculation of the shooters.” India have secured 15 quota places in shooting for the Tokyo Olympics. The squad will be announced next week.
The reserve shooters will stay with those selected for Tokyo until the squad leaves for Japan. It is to ensure there is no issue in case a last-minute replacement is needed.
“I plan to call the selection meeting on April 3 or 4 so that we can select the team and get on with the preparation. Already, it is too late. We will know the ranking quota on June 6 but we can’t wait till then,” said Raninder at the end of the ISSF World Cup here.
“I am announcing two reserves per event. Reserve one will get first priority. They are already being trained on a par with the Olympians; they are not far behind them. We have got good replacement standards also.”
The federation is looking to provide more international competition for the shooters before they head to Japan.
“My first priority now is to not only ensure whatever international tournaments they can get. You will be rusty if you do not have international exposure regularly. So, we are ready,” Raninder Singh said.
“We are looking at the advisory of the health ministry to see when the peak of Covid is expected. We will keep the shooters in a bio-bubble. The intention is to minimise the possibility of them falling ill. I am desperately trying to get permission to get inoculation, subject to shooters voluntarily wanting,” he added.
Asked about team selection, he said: “Our selection will be completely on merit, no pressure from anyone. Whatever decision is taken, it will be justifiably India’s best in that event. No personalities are going to be looked at. It is a measurable sport and we have all the data. We have to take an informed decision looking at every aspect. We will have to send our best team. We have to come back with a good haul, at least try our best.”
India top medal tally
India finished the ISSF World Cup here with 15 gold, nine silver and six bronze to top the medal tally. USA was a distant second with eight medals (4-3-1).
India won two gold on Sunday. The men’s trap team (Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Tondaiman and Lakshay Sheoran) defeated Slovakia 6-4 in the final. Shreyasi Singh, Manisha Keer and Rajeshwari Kumari beat Kazakhstan 6-0 in the final of the women’s trap team event.
In 25m rapid fire pistol men’s team event, Gurpreet Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu and Adarsh Singh lost 2-10 to USA in the final.
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