Indian Shooters At Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

Here are the profiles and form guides of the Indian shooters in action at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Let’s get you up to speed!

Anjum Moudgil

Anjum Moudgil, a world championships silver medallist in the 10m air rifle, will get to shoot only in the rifle 3 positions event and the mixed air rifle with Deepak Kumar.

Anjum Moudgil, a world championships silver medallist in the 10m air rifle, will get to shoot only in the rifle 3 positions event and the mixed air rifle with Deepak Kumar. Participating in her first Olympics, Moudgil has the ability to rise to the occasion. Her best chances are in the mixed air rifle, though she held the world record of 1180 out of 1200 in the rifle 3 positions event at one stage.

• Age: 27
• World ranking: 10m air rifle: 3
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 629.6 (187.8), fifth; European championships – 624.7; Osijek World Cup – 622.3 (42).
• Rio results: Qualification: 420.7, 420.3, 417.8; final: 208.0, 207.0, 185.4.
• World ranking: 50m rifle 3 positions: 27
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 1162 (16th); European championships – 1173; Osijek World Cup – 1162 (32nd).
• Top rivals: Seonaid Mcintosh, Ziva Dvorsak, Nina Christen, Pei Ruijiao, Snjezana Pejcic.
• Rio results: Qualification: 589, 586, 583; final: 458.6, 458.4, 447.4.

Apurvi Chandela: Indian Shooters At Tokyo Olympics

Apurvi Chandela won two World Cup gold medals with world records in 2019.

Apurvi Chandela won two World Cup gold medals with world records in 2019. She has not shot her best yet this season, in two World Cups and the European championship. Chandela will be competing in her second Olympics after Rio, getting the nod ahead of Anjum Moudgil for the 10m air rifle event.

• Age: 28
• World ranking: 10m air rifle: 11
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 622.8 (26th); European Championships – 627.8; Osijek World Cup 624.2 (24th).
• Top rivals: Elavenil Valarivan, Mary Carolynn Tucker, Ying-Shin Lin, Laura-Georgeta Ilie.
• Rio results: Qualification: 420.7, 420.3, 417.8; final: 208.0, 207.0, 185.4.

Elavenil Valarivan

Elavenil Valarivan won the World Cup in Rio and the World Cup Finals in China in 2019.

A Tamil girl from Gujarat, Elavenil Valarivan has been training with Gagan Narang’s Gun For Glory Academy. She won the World Cup in Rio and the World Cup Finals in China in 2019. A world championships junior silver medallist in 2018 in Changwon, South Korea, Valarivan won the mixed air rifle gold with Divyansh Singh Panwar this year in Delhi. She is capable of striking it big in her first Olympics.

• Age: 21
• World ranking: 10m air rifle: 1
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 626.7 (12th); European championships – 630.4; Osijek World Cup – 621.2 (55th).
• Top rivals: Apurvi Chandela, Mary Carolynn Tucker, Ying-Shin Lin, Laura-Georgeta Ilie.
• Top Rio results: Qualification: 420.7, 420.3, 417.8; Final: 208.0, 207.0, 185.4.

Tejaswini Sawant

Tejaswini Sawant shone at the Commonwealth Games, and made the final of the Asian Games in Doha in 2006.

Hailing from Kolhapur, Tejaswini Sawant won the world championships gold in 50m rifle prone event in Munich in 2010. She shone at the Commonwealth Games, and made the final of the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. Sawant won the bronze medal at the World Cup in Munich in 2009.

• Age: 40
• World ranking: 50m rifle 3 positions: 28
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 1164 (12th); European championships – 1172; Osijek World Cup – 1168 (20th).
• Top rivals: Seonaid Mcintosh, Ziva Dvorsak, Nina Christen, Pei Ruijiao, Snjezana Pejcic.
• Rio results: Qualification: 589, 586, 583; final: 458.6, 458.4, 447.4.

Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker is the only Indian shooter to compete in three events (air pistol, sports pistol and mixed air pistol).

The only Indian shooter to compete in three events (air pistol, sports pistol and mixed air pistol), Manu Bhaker won five successive gold medals at World Cups with Saurabh Chaudhary and silver at the last World Cup in Osijek, Croatia. She has consistently shown in international competitions her ability to put up big scores. Bhaker is capable of winning medals in all the three events and was able to convince the selection panel that she was better than world No. 1 Chinki Yadav in the sports pistol.

• Age: 20
• World ranking: 10m air pistol: 2
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 577 (236.7), silver; European championships – 573; Osijek World Cup – 577 (137.3), seventh,
• Top rivals: Yashaswini Deswal, Zorana Arunovic, Anna Korakaki, Viktoria Chaika, Kim Minjung, Olena Kostevych.
• Rio results: Qualification: 390, 387, 386; final: 199.4, 197.1, 177.7.
• World ranking: 25m sports pistol: 7
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 576 (28), bronze; European championships – 587; Osijek Delhi World Cup – 588 (11), 7th.
• Top rivals: Rahi Sarnobat, Olena Kostevych, Zhang Jingjing, Kim Minjung, Veronika Major, Vitalina Batsarashkina, Anna Korakaki.
• Rio results: Qualification: 592, 584, 583.

Yashaswini Singh Deswal

Yashaswini Deswal won the World Cup in Delhi this season after shooting a modest 579 in qualification.

Yashaswini Deswal won the World Cup in Delhi this season after shooting a modest 579 in qualification. She won the World Cup gold in Rio in 2019 and made the final of this season’s Osijek World Cup where she was placed eighth. Deswal won the junior world championships gold in 2017 and made the final of the Youth Olympics in 2014. She won the World Cup mixed team bronze in Delhi with Abhishek Verma.

• Age: 24
• World ranking: 10m air pistol: 1
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 579 (238.8), gold; European championships – 572; Osijek World Cup – 578 (117.1), 8th.
• Top rivals: Manu Bhaker, Zorana Arunovic, Anna Korakaki, Viktoria Chaika, Kim Minjung, Olena Kostevych.
• Rio results: Qualification: 390, 387, 386; final: 199.4, 197.1, 177.7.

Rahi Sarnobat

Rahi Sarnobat has been in top form this season, winning the World Cup silver in Delhi, missing the gold in a shoot-off.

Another shooter from Kolhapur, Rahi Sarnobat has been in top form this season, winning the World Cup silver in Delhi, missing the gold in a shoot-off. Sarnobat was in brilliant form in the last World Cup in Croatia, shooting 591 in qualification and 39 in the final – very close to the world record. It is her second Olympics after London. She has won World Cup gold thrice and the Asian Games gold in 2018.

• World ranking: 25m sports pistol: 2
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 581 (32), silver; European championhips – 584; Osijek World Cup – 591 (39), gold.
• Top rivals: Manu Bhaker, Olena Kostevych, Zhang Jingjing, Kim Minjung, Veronika Major, Vitalina Batsarashkina, Anna Korakaki.
• Rio results: Qualification: 592, 584, 583.

Abhishek Verma: Indian Shooters At Tokyo Olympics

Abhishek Verma made his mark by winning the bronze medal at the Asian Games on debut in 2018.

This lawyer made his mark by winning the bronze medal at the Asian Games on debut in 2018. He had just made it into the national team through good scores in domestic events. Verma quickly rose to be world No. 1 with his remarkable consistency. He won two World Cup gold medals in 2019, while two others were won by Saurabh Chaudhary, asserting India’s dominance in the event. In the World Cup in Delhi in March, Iran’s Javad Foroughi surprised Chaudhary by winning gold with his last shot and then went on to win another gold in Osijek. Verma won the bronze. The Iranian has climbed to world No. 1 ahead of the Indians now.

• Age: 31
• World rank:10m air pistol: 3
• Form guide 2021: Dehi World Cup – 583 (221.8), bronze; European championships – 579; Osijek World Cup – 581 (1793), fifth.
• Top rivals: Javad Foroughi, Saurabh Chaudhary, Damir Mikec, Frederik Larsen, Artem Chernousov.
• Rio results: Qualification: 590, 584, 582; final: 202.5, 202.1, 180.4.

Saurabh Chaudhary

Saurabh Chaudhary broke on to the world stage in a big way by winning the Asian Games gold in 2018.

A phenomenal talent who keeps things simple by sticking to the basics, Saurabh Chaudhary keeps to himself most of the time. He broke on to the world stage in a big way by winning the Asian Games gold in 2018. He has been winning international medals with ease at all levels, right from the junior world championship gold to the gold at the Youth Olympics, where he shot a world record in the final, 245.5. Chaudhary had been sweeping the mixed air pistol gold with Manu Bhaker before being pushed to the silver medal at the Osijek World Cup. He is capable of winning two medals in Tokyo.

• Age: 19
• World rank: 10m air pistol: 2
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 587 (243.2), silver; European championships – 589; Osijek World Cup – 581 (220.0), bronze.
• Top rivals: Javad Foroughi, Abhishek Verma, Damir Mikec, Frederik Larsen, Artem Chernousov.
• Rio results: Qualification: 590, 584, 582; final: 202.5, 202.1, 180.4.

Divyansh Singh Panwar

Divyansh Singh Panwar won the World Cup Final in 2019, after having won the World Cups in Munich and Beijing.

Divyansh Singh Panwar quickly rose to world No.1. He won the World Cup Final in 2019, after having won the World Cups in Munich and Beijing. He landed a bronze at the World Cup in Delhi this season to show his recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Panwar won the mixed air rifle gold with Elavenil Valarivan to further emphasise his penchant for medals. He plunged to the 25th spot in the last World Cup in Croatia. That was perhaps the dip before the possible rise in time to the top in Tokyo.

• Age: 18
• World rank: 10m air rifle: 2
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 629.1 (228.1), bronze; European champiionships – 628.1; Osijek World Cup – 624.7 (25th).
• Top rivals: Istvan Peni, Lucas Kozeniesky, Petar Gorsa, Sergey Kameniskiy.
• Top Rio results: Qualification: 630.2, 629.0, 628.0, final: 206.1, 204.6, 184.2.

Deepak Kumar

Deepak Kumar showed his class by winning the Asian Games silver in 2018.

Deepak Kumar showed his class by winning the Asian Games silver in 2018. He has been grappling with an injury and surgery. A calm performer with a deep understanding of life, he inspires numerous followers with his wise words and acts. The training in Europe would have given him the chance to regroup and command a strong performance when it matters. Perhaps he is preserving his best for the big stage.

• Age: 33
• World ranking: 10m air rifle: 11
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 626.4 (12th); European champiobnships – 627.4; Osijek World Cup – 626.0 (14th).
• Top rivals: Istvan Peni, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Lucas Kozeniesky, Petar Gorsa, Sergey Kameniskiy.
• Rio results: Qualification: 630.2, 629.0, 628.0, final: 206.1, 204.6, 184.2

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar: Indian Shooters At Tokyo Olympics

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar during the ISSF World Cup in Delhi on March 24, 2021.

Another phenomenal talent, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar has the ability to excel in both the 10m air rifle and the 50m rifle 3 positions events. He won the gold at the Delhi World Cup after a below-par 1165 in qualification. To outgun a world-class field in the final showed the boy’s tremendous potential. He keeps improving with every outing.

• Age: 20
• World ranking: 50m rifle 3 positions: 2
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 1165 (462.5), gold; European championships – 1172; Osijek World Cup – 1176 (416.4), sixth.
• Top rivals: Istvan Peni, Petar Gorsa, Tomasz Bartnik, Filip Nepejchal, Sergey Kamenskiy.
• Rio results: Qualification: 1184, 1177, 1176; final: 458.8, 458.5, 448.4.

Sanjeev Rajput: Indian Shooters At Tokyo Olympics

Sanjeev Rajput has already competed in two Olympics (Beijing and London).

The former navy shooter has already competed in two Olympics (Beijing and London). World Cup medals have been elusive after the gold in 2011 in Changwon and the silver in Baku (2016) and Rio (2019). Rajput won the Asian Games silver in 2018. He is determined to capitalise on his third chance to compete in the Olympics. He holds the national record in qualification at 1182.

• Age: 40
• World ranking: 50m rifle 3 positions: 6
• Form guide 2021: Delhi World Cup – 1172 (413.3), sixth; European championships 1162; Osijek World Cup – 1173 (17th).
• Top rivals: Istvan Peni, Petar Gorsa, Tomasz Bartnik, Filip Nepejchal, Sergey Kamenskiy.
• Rio results: Qualification: 1184, 1177, 1176; Final: 458.8, 458.5, 448.4.