After Manu Bhaker finished top in both women’s 10m air pistol and 25m pistol at the recent Olympic Selection Trials conducted by the National Rifle Association of India, it came to be understood that one of the Olympic quota places would be swapped, and the beneficiary could be women’s trap.
In this scenario, shotgun shooter Shreyasi Singh is the frontrunner to make the Indian squad for the Olympic Games.
Going into Paris, India had won 21 out of a possible 24 quota places, but Manu’s superlative show in the trials has opened up a window of opportunity, and the India squad bound will now have 22 members instead of 21.
Incidentally, this will also be the largest ever shooting contingent at the Olympics.
At the culmination of the four selection trials in March, Shreyasi had scores of 116, 118, 114 and 114, and was ranked second behind quota winner Rajeshwari Singh.
Paris will be the first Olympic appearance for the 32-year-old Shreyasi, who is a sitting MLA from Jamui in Bihar.
Despite a recent sedate run on the world stage, Shreyasi has a lot of international experience with silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in double trap.
Shreyasi won her first national title in trap in 2019, and defended the title at the 2021 National Championship in Patiala.
At the Baku World Cup earlier this month, she finished 29th with a score of 107.
Shreyasi was also a part of the 12-member Indian shotgun squad for the Olympic Qualification Championship in Doha, but was unable to grab a quota spot after finishing 56th with a score of 106.
Despite her not-so great run of late, Shreyasi’s vast experience of competing in international competitions since 2008 can be a boon in Paris, and boost India’s medal chances.