Olympic silver medallist Vijay returns, India name 48-member squad for ISSF World Championships

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the Indian rifle and pistol squad for the ISSF World Championships scheduled from October 12-25 in Cairo, Egypt.

This will be the first International competition in four years for Vijay Kumar, who won silver in the 25m rapid fire pistol at the 2012 Olympics. | Photo Credit: PTI

London Olympics silver medallist Vijay Kumar returns for his first International competition in four years as the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Friday announced the Indian rifle and pistol squad for the ISSF World Championships scheduled from October 12-25 in Cairo, Egypt.

Kumar will be partnering with youngsters Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer in the rapid fire pistol squad.

Rhythm Sangwan will compete in both the air pistol and sports pistol events in the Championship. Similarly, Esha Singh will compete in both the junior events in air pistol and sports pistol.

Vijayveer Sidhu will be competing in both the air pistol and rapid fire pistol events. His twin brother Udhayveer Sidhu has made the team in the junior rapid fire pistol event.

World Championship silver medallist in air rifle, Olympian Anjum Moudgil will be competing in the rifle 3-position event. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Elavenil Valarivan, Manu Bhaker, Divyansh Singh Panwar will be the other members of the Tokyo Olympics squad retaining their place in the national team. Of course, Divyansh will be competing in the junior section.

Former world No.1 Saurabh Chaudhary has lost his berth following a series of low scores, and the other Olympian in air pistol, Abhishek Verma has not been in the race.

Sports pistol exponent Rahi Sarnobat is injured. Apurvi Chandela who had won the Olympic quota place in the last World Championship has not been able to make the team. The onus will be on Mehuli Ghosh, Elavenil and Meghana Sajjanar to win the Olympic quota places in women’s air rifle. Quite significantly, the NRAI has selected the team only for the Olympic events. There will be four Olympic quota places on offer in all the Olympic events for men and women in the World Championship.

The team:

Men: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Swapnil Kusale, Niraj Kumar, Arjun Babuta, Kiran Jadhav, Rudrankksh Patil, Anish Bhanwala, Vijayveer Sidhu, Vijay Kumar, Shiva Narval, Naveen.

Women: Anjum Moudgil, Sift Kaur Samra, Ashi Chouksey, Mehuli Ghosh, Elavenil Valarivan, Meghana Sajjanar, Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Abhidnya Patil, Yuvika Tomar, Palak Ghulia.

Junior men: Pankaj Mukheja, Surya Pratap Singh Banshtu, Sartaj Singh Tiwana, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Sri karthik Sabari Raj, Vidit Jain, Sameer Ghulia, Adarsh Singh, Udhayveer Sidhu, Samrat Rana, Sarabjot Singh, Sagar Dangi.

Junior women: Nischal, Nupur Kumrawat, Nikita Kundu, Ramita Jindal, Nancy, Tilottama Sen, Esha Singh, Naamya Kapoor, Vibhuti Bhatia, Shikha Narwal, Varsha Singh.