ISSF shooting: Indian juniors embark upon year's first World Cup mission in Suhl

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) A first batch of 40 Indian shooters and support staff will embark upon the blue-riband event of the junior international shooting sport calendar, the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) in Suhl, Germany, on Saturday.

The official arrivals are scheduled for May 19, while competitions begin from May 20, running up to May 26, 2025. India, which finished on top of two of the three ISSF junior events last year, have fielded the largest contingent of 57 shooters, who will be accompanied by 21 officials, including coaches and support staff. A second batch of 38 (28 shooters and 10 support staff) will follow on Sunday.

Suhl, a small city of no more than 40,000 residents right in the centre of Germany, has long been the driving force of the junior international shooting circuit and, as such, attracts the very best of the future stars in the sport.

Many future Olympic and world champions have been unearthed in Suhl. After an absence in the Olympic year last year, the Suhl Junior World Cup is back with a bang, attracting over 630 athletes from 59 countries, including all the strong nations of the sport.

All 15 Olympic events are in detail, in addition to the 50m rifle prone competition for junior men and women, which kicks off competitions on Day One. The Trap Mixed Team event will be the last medal set to be awarded on the 26th.

Olympian Raiza Dhillon (skeet) and mixed team trap bronze medallist in the recently-concluded Nicosia Shotgun World Cup, Sabeera Harris, will be among the most prominent names in the strong Indian side.

Others include Naamya Kapoor, who was a Junior World Champion at 13, reigning double Junior World Champion, Divanshi (25m pistol), reigning Junior World Champion in the 25m pistol, Mukesh Nellavalli, Asian Junior Champion Harmehar Lally (Skeet), and multiple junior ISSF medallists Shubham Bisla (air pistol) and Abhinav Chaudhary (air pistol), among others.

India had emerged on top of the last Suhl Junior World Cup in 2023 as well with a tally of six gold, six silver, and three bronze medals, and hopes this time remain high.

One of the coaches leaving on Saturday, double Olympian and multiple-time ISSF medalist Sanjeev Rajput, spoke about the squad’s preparations, saying, “The entire squad has been training very hard at the national camp, and it is good that some of them are now seniors in the junior circuit. Their experience will help those who are making their first trip to such a big tournament and an imposing venue. The youngsters are otherwise excited and raring to go.”

A total of 36 shooters are going on Government cost, while, as is allowed in the Junior World Cups, a total of 21 shooters will go at their own cost. Each country can have only three shooters contending for a medal in an event, while two teams each are allowed in mixed team competitions. The others will shoot for ranking points only.

--IANS

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