Abhinav Bindra will lead Indian challenge on Day 1 in World Cup
02 March, Chandigarh
More than 330 shooters from 49 countries arrived in Thailand to participate in the inaugural ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup of the year, which offers the last chance to achieve Minimum Qualification Scores before the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The first medals will be assigned on March 3. Eight Indian shooters will be in action on Day 1.
On the opening day Olympic goal medallist Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang and Chain Singh will be seen in action in the 10m Air Rifle for men competitions. The Indian women shooters who will take part on the first day are Pooja Ghatkar, Ayonika Paul, Apurvi Chandela and Susan Elizabeth Koshy. They are competing in 10m Air Rifle.
The 2016 ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol event in Bangkok, Thailand – the first shooting sport World Cup stage of the year – has been officially opened at the NSSAT Shooting Range of Bangkok, today, according to International Shooting Sports Federation communication.
As may as 331 shooters from 49 countries (adding up to a total of 522 starts) arrived in Bangkok in Bangkok to compete in this World Cup Stage, which offers the last chance to Rifle and Pistol shooters to secure their Minimum Qualification Scores before Rio 2016. Ten medal matches are scheduled during the event, which runs from March 2 to 9.
The ISSF Technical Delegate Willi Grill welcomed the participants on behalf of the International Shooting Sport Federation, at todays opening ceremony. “The ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raa and the ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber send their best regards to you all. To be back in Bangkok, four years after our last event in Bangkok, is a dream that comes true,” said Mr. Grill. “I would like to thank the Organising Committee of this competition and the National Shooting Sport Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage for welcoming the shooting sport family with open arms.” Mr. Grill continued. “Youve worked hard to provide us with excellent conditions to conduct the competition, and I am sure that this will be a successful event. I wish all the participants a successful and fair World Cup!”
“We welcome over 330 athletes and 100 officials here in Thailand,” said the Deputy Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, Mr. Nattavuth Ruengves, during the ceremony, “we are grateful to the ISSF for entrusting us to host such an important competition in the Olympic year.””We feel honored to organize this event,” added Mr. Tawich Chinbancehon, the President of the National Shooting Sport Association of Thailand, “with the support of the ISSF, we tried to organize the best possible competition!”
The first two medal matches will take place tomorrow, when the 10m Air Rifle Men and the 10m Air Rifle Women finals will be conducted at 11.30 AM and at 1:30 PM (UTC+7), respectively.