One of the biggest talking points after the opening day of the ISSF World Cup in Lonato, Italy isn’t just the leaderboard—it’s the name at the very top.
Former India shooter Angad Vir Singh Bajwa, the 30-year-old now representing Canada, was among 13 shooters to open the Men’s Skeet competition with a flawless 50/50, sharing the lead in a highly competitive field of 173 shooters.
Bajwa has long been one of the finest skeet shooters to emerge from India. A Tokyo Olympian, two-time Asian Champion, and the first Indian skeet shooter to register a perfect 60/60 in an international final, he played a pivotal role in elevating Indian skeet shooting on the international stage.
Earlier this year, Bajwa switched allegiance to Canada, bringing the curtain down on a distinguished chapter with Indian shooting. Now competing in Canadian colours, he has made an immediate statement by matching the day’s best score in one of the most competitive skeet fields of the season.
While India’s young Bhavtegh Singh Gill and veteran Mairaj Ahmad shot 49 to remain in contention, and reigning Asian champion Anant Jeet Singh Naruka faces an uphill task after opening with 47, Bajwa’s flawless start has undoubtedly become one of the defining talking points of the opening day.
With three qualification rounds still to come, all eyes will be on whether the former Indian shotgun star can carry his sensational start into the final and challenge for his first ISSF World Cup medal representing Canada.