Credit should go to shooters and also national coaches, says NRAI chief Raninder Singh

04/02/2018

At a recent event organized by the Punjab Rifle Shooting Association, NRAI chief Raninder Singh has credited national coaches for the impressive performances of the young shooters at ISSF tournament. The junior World Cup winning squad were felicitated after they won 22 medals in Sydney.

The Indian shooting squad has been on the up in recent times. The impressive displays of Manu Bhaker, Anjum Moudgil, and others in the ISSF World Championships in Mexico earlier this year was a clear reminder of the talent India possess. The youngsters especially went on to produce more stunning displays at the junior World Cup which was held in Sydney.

At a recent felicitation event organised by the Punjab Rifle Shooting Association in honor of the junior World Cup winning squad, NRAI chief Raninder Singh lavished praise on the national coaches for the performance of the young shooters across the globe.

“This has happened for the first time that we matched China in terms of gold medals. Normally, we would finish fourth or fifth in the medals tally, but this performance was incredible. The credit should goes to the shooters and also the national coaches,”

“When we started the junior programme three years ago, we wanted specialised training for youngsters. The NRAI gets Rs 27 crore annually for 290 athletes and 61 per cent of the amount is spent on the junior programme. That shows the kind of faith we have for the junior shooters,” said Singh, who is also the son of Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

The Indian junior shooting team made the country proud after they won a total of 22 medals including 9 gold, finishing a close second behind China’s tally of 25 medals in the ISSF Junior World Cup held in Sydney. At the senior ISSF World Cup in Mexico, the Indian team topped the medal tally with a total of nine medals including three gold.

Singh had a firm belief that the current resurgence of Indian shooters is only going to continue in the near future. He placed complete faith in the current crop of young shooters to make the nation proud on the biggest of stages in the upcoming year.

“The junior shooters also get to train with foreign coaches which will add to their confidence. The senior skeet shooters are training under Atlanta Olympics champion Italian Ennio Falco while junior shooters will train under Piero Genga. Yes, there have been a few changes in the rules of events like Trap shooting,”

“And as a mixed team event will be taking place in Olympics, I see more medals coming India’s way. The ISSF World Cup in Changwan will offer 60 quota places for Tokyo Olympics and in 2019, the ISSF World Cup in Delhi will offer 16 quota places. I see 12-20 Indian shooters bagging the quota places for 2020 Olympics,” said Raninder.

Credit should go to shooters and also national coaches, says NRAI chief Raninder Singh

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