ISSF World Cup | Nothing like securing Olympic quota, reveals Manu Bhaker

There are a host of young Indian shooters currently competing at the ISSF World Cup which is being held at the Karni Singh Shooting range in Delhi. The one target on the minds of these youngsters will be to secure an Olympic quota which is up for grabs at the global showpiece. 495 shooters from 58 countries will compete for a total of 16 quota places in eight events at the Rifle and Pistol World Cup.

Indian teen, Manu Bhaker, who won the gold medal at last year’s Gold Coast CWG, is part of the 23-person Indian contingent that is competing in the ongoing competition in the national capital. Bhaker, who missed out on a medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta, has a whole different reason to be excited about the World Cup being held on home soil.

"Yes, I missed a medal at the Asian Games, but I won't blame it solely on pressure. It's also about the day. Like sometimes cricketer ka ballanahichalta, waise hi sometimes pistol waisenahichaltijaiseaapchahte ho [Like sometimes cricketers' bats don't strike the ball the way they want it to the pistol on some days don't fire the way you want it to].

"It's my first World Cup at home. The best thing is that I am getting home-cooked food as mom brings food from home every day," Bhaker told TOI in a recent interview.

Meanwhile, Bhaker’s teammate and one of the younger members of the Indian shooting squad, Anjum Moudgil, has already sealed an Olympic quota with a silver at the ISSF World Championship in Changwon last year. Moudgil agrees with the system of quotas for country and not for the one who secured it.

"Yes, a little pressure is off as I have already secured a quota place but there's still a lot to play for.

"I think it's fair that quota is for the country and not reserved for the player who secured it, because you never know if a player gets injured close to the Olympics or is not in form. So, I think it's fine," 25-year-old Moudgil said.

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