Sanjeev Rajput, Vijay Kumar to participate in National Shooting Selection Trial
Veteran rifle shooter Sanjeev Rajput, Olympic silver medalist in rapid fire pistol Vijay Kumar and youth Olympian Divyansh Panwar are among the list of shooters who have qualified for the crucial national selection trials (one and one half year) to be held at the Dr. Karni Singh Range from January 8 to 14 next year. 2) will participate in These two trials for Group A shooters are crucial as their performance will determine the national team selection for major international events, including the Asian Games.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has divided shooters into two categories for 2023. Group A consists of top level shooters while Group B consists of shooters who are eligible for open selection trials. The NRAI said that the national team will be selected only from among Group A shooters. “Under the NRAI’s Selection Eligibility (Rifle and Pistol) 2023, only Group A shooters will be eligible for selection in the national team and international competitions,” the NRAI said in a statement.
India has so far secured three quota places for the 2024 Paris Olympics and aims to at least match the 15 quota places for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Also, eyes will be on the postponed Asian Games where Indian shooters have been performing well. London Olympics 2012 silver medalist Vijay Kumar said he definitely wants to do well in these two selection trials and represent the country in Paris.
Vijay returned to international competition after more than four years with the World Championships in Cairo in October this year. Vijay, the Deputy Superintendent of Himachal Pradesh Police, had failed to secure the Olympic quota in Cairo and is aiming to break into the national team through these trials and try to qualify for the 2023 Paris Olympics. “Despite my busy schedule next year, this (Olympic quota place) will be my target and I am hopeful of getting approval from my department to go for trials in the next few days,” Vijay said.
The NRAI said in a statement that the trials would be for Olympic events only. NRAI Secretary General Sultan Singh said these trials would help shooters get into competitive mode at the start of the season. He said, “This year there will be continuous national and international competitions and this year we will also host the World Cup stage at home. He is our top shooter in rifle and pistol and it will be important for him to get into competitive form in the run-up to the Asian Games and the year before the Olympics.
