With less than a year to go for the Rio Olympics, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has deviated from its “rigorous” selection policy to ensure maximum quota places for the quadrennial extravaganza.
The existing policy was not followed while picking the team for the 13th Asian Shooting Championship, which was announced in the capital today.
As many as 34 Olympic quota places will be up for grabs in the event to be held in Kuwait in November.
Asian Games gold medallist double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi returned to the team after being dropped last June owing to a poor form. Notable exclusions from the squad were Olympian Rahi Sarnobat and Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anisa Sayyed.
The NRAI has also announced the Indian team for the upcoming 8th Asian Air Gun Championship, which the city will host next month.
Olympic medallists Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai, Apurvi Chandela, Gurpreet Singh, Prakash Nanjappa and Chain Singh have already earned the country quota places for Rio Games.
In the Asian Shooting Championship, the seven shooters will not be fielded in the events they have won their quotas.
Team for 13th Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait:
Men’s 50m Rifle Three Positions: SURENDRA SINGH RATHOD, SANJEEV RAJPUT, SATYENDRA SINGH.
Men’s 50m Rifle Prone: SURENDRA SINGH RATHOD, SUSHIL GHALEY, SHAMSHER SINGH BHANDARI.
Men’s 10m Air Rifle: IMRAN HASAN KHAN, SATYENDRA SINGH, RAVI KUMAR.
Men’s 25m Centre Fire Pistol: VIJAY KUMAR, PEMBA TAMANG, SAMARESH JUNG.
Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol: VIJAY KUMAR, AKSHAY SUHAS ASTHAPUTRE, NEERAJ KUMAR.
Men’s 25m Standard Pistol: GURPREET SINGH, NEERAJ KUMAR, MAHENDAR SINGH.
Men’s 50m Pistol: JITU RAI, P N PRAKASH, OMKAR SINGH.
Men’s 10m Air Pistol: OMKAR SINGH, JITENDRA VIBHUTE, ARUN.
Women’s 50m Rifle Three Positions: LAJJA GAUSWAMI, ELIZABETH SUSAN KOSHY, ANJUM MOUDGIL.
Women’s 50m Rifle Prone: KUHELI GANGULEE, LAJJA GAUSWAMI, ELIZABETH SUSAN KOSHY.
Women’s 10m Air Rifle: AYONIKA PAUL, POOJA GHATKAR, ELIZABETH SUSAN KOSHY.
Women’s 25m Sports Pistol: ANNURAJ SINGH, HEENA SIDHU, GAURI SHEORAN.
Women’s 10m Air Pistol: HEENA SIDHU, SHWETA SINGH, YASHASWINI SINGH DESWAL.
Men’s Trap: MANAVJIT SINGH SANDHU, PRITHVIRAJ TONDAIMAN, KYNAN CHENAI.
Men’s Double Trap: ANKUR MITTAL, MOHD ASAB, RONJAN SODHI.
Men’s Skeet: MAIRAJ AHMAD KHAN, AMRINDER SINGH CHEEMA, SMIT SINGH.
Women’s Trap: SHREYASI SINGH, SHAGUN CHOWDHARY, RAJESHWARI KUMARI.
Women’s Double Trap: SHREYASI SINGH, SHAGUN CHOWDHARY, SEEMA TOMAR.
Women’s Skeet: SANIYA SHEIKH, ARTI SINGH RAO, RASHMEE RATHORE.
Team for 8th Asian Air Gun Championship, New Delhi
Men’s 10m Air Rifle: ABHINAV BINDRA, GAGAN NARANG, CHAIN SINGH.
Men’s 10m Air Pistol: JITU RAI, OMKAR SINGH, GURPREET SINGH.
Women’s 10m Air Rifle: APURVI CHANDELA, AYONIKA PAUL, POOJA GHATKAR.
Women’s 10m Air Pistol: HEENA SIDHU, SHWETA SINGH, YASHASWINI SINGH DESWAL.
