Asian Games gold medallist Rahi Sarnabot still remembers the time she was part of the Indian shooting team before the London Olympics in 2012. As a youngster, she was part of the qualifying process for the London Games but failed to make the cut. Seven years later, and after missing the qualifying stages of Rio Olympics due to an elbow injury, the shooter has once again set her aim to qualify and go to the Olympics.
At the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup which begins on Saturday in New Delhi, the 28-year-old will be one of the many shooters trying to win an Olympic quota for India. She will compete in the women’s 25m pistol event along with Manu Bhaker and Chinki Yadav.
“After a gap of seven years I am back in the qualifying process of Olympics, so it’s great. We will perform our best for the country and win a quota,” she says.
This chance has come after some confusion. There was serious doubt over the status of this World Cup as an Olympic qualifying event after two Pakistan shooters were denied visa in the aftermath of terror attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Ultimately, only two quota places were revoked by the International Olympic Committee after India’s request. It was only after that the shooters participating in other events took a sigh of relief.
For three-time Olympian Sanjeev Rajput, the event would have been of similar importance even if the quota status was removed. But now he is geared up to win one in the men’s 50m three-position event.
“I wasn’t really affected by the whole drama about quotas and visas. Even if there were no quotas, it would have been nice to win a medal at the World Cup,” he says.
Tough competition from juniors
The World Cup provides an opportunity to more than 500 shooters to claim the 14 Olympic quotas available. India can only win a maximum of 12 as they have already won two in women’s 10m air rifle event which will be the first event of the tournament.
Despite that Apurvi Chandela (who earned one of the two qualification spots) is not taking this World Cup lightly. “In the last two years I was very consistent and despite no quotas in the 10 m air rifle event, winning a world cup medal is important. The competition is neck-to-neck in the Indian team and on a given day we can beat each other. It’s a healthy competition,” she says.
It is true for the Indian team in most events. With the ever improving juniors, the seniors are bound to feel the pressure. “The competition among Indian team is very tough and you cannot take any thing lightly. One competition you slip and you are out of the team,” Chandela says.
The Indian squad compromises of many youngsters who are primed to be medal prospects at the highest level. Saurabh Chaudhary is one such teenager. India’s biggest hope in the 10m air pistol event shows little nervousness while practicing or during competition.
“Whether it’s practice or main event, I try to do what I have learnt in my career,” the Asian Games gold medallist says. “Two days before the event, I want to follow a routine and not think much about anything.”
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There are other teenagers as well. Adarsh Singh, Anish Bhanwala in the men’s events and Manu Bhaker, Sunidhi Chauhan, Elavenil Valarivan and Chinki Yadav in the women’s events will all be looking to make a mark on home soil.
Foreign coach with Indian team Pavel Sirimov says that these youngsters are successful because they are fearless.
“At young age, you are not afraid and fearless. These youngsters already have a base because they are training with shooter-turned-coaches,” he says. “They are starting at an advantage compared to their rivals. Their technique is nearly perfect already. All I have to do is polish a little. The rest is already there.”
Home crowd?
Apart the form and confidence of the shooters, it will be interesting to see how much the home support helps them at the national capital.
Sarnobat is happy that she will be shooting in front of her home crowd which will be an advantage. So is Abhishek Verma.
“The home crowd helps a lot and it’s nice to see people coming to the stadium. The crowd support is important but the range is same for everyone,” he says.
Rajput, however, thinks that, while the home support will help, there is no benefit to be gained from the conditions at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi.
“Tyari achi hai but windy conditions can make it difficult for us as well. The home conditions in New Delhi help but given the weather here right now, it is like abroad,” he says.
While the veteran is confident of a good show, first-timers like Sunidhi (50m rifle 3 position) are looking to put their best foot forward. The 21-year-old, daughter of an electrician in Madhya Pradesh, has broken into the team only in the last one year.
“If I am shooting a certain score in training, I will shoot around that [same score] in competition. I am new in the team and you cannot expect me to win a quota with extraordinary score. But winning it for the country is important,” she says.
Even if a country fails to win a quota in New Delhi, they can bounce back to earn them at the Olympic-quota status tournaments remaining till the Tokyo Games next year. But for Indian shooters, the aim will be to pocket one before boarding the flight to Beijing for the next World Cup.