Top shooters set to miss National Games

The Games are scheduled too close to the World Cup,so I am not participating.

With 2011 being a crucial year for winning quota places for the London Olympics,countrys prominent shooters have decided to give the National Games scheduled to be held in Ranchi from February 12-24 a miss in order to train for the ISSF World Cups.

Confirming that hell skip the games,double trap ace Ronjan Sodhi said hell train in Italy,alongside Mansher Singh and Manavjit Singh Sandhu,to prepare for the March 1-9 ISSF World Cup Shotgun,which will be held in Concepcion,Chile.

The Games are scheduled too close to the World Cup,so I am not participating. Ill be training in Italy instead, Sodhi told The Indian Express.

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Last year was so tough. Besides the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games,I had to shoot in four World Cups,as well as the World Championships. But I dont want to shoot with this mindset of taking it easy at the games. Suppose I shoot an average score,Ill be taking the same mindset in qualifiers. I want to avoid this. Already I have taken part in the National Shooting Championships and two trials, he added.

Rifle shooter Gagan Narangs participation at the Games is also doubtful. Till about yesterday,he wasnt going. But some doubts have cropped up in his mind after his scores dropped during the nationals and he might take part. Lets see, NRAI vice-president Sunny Thomas said.

While Suma Shirur,who won the 10m air rifle gold at the shooting nationals will also be training abroad with her coach Gabriele Buhlmann. In all probability I wont be there, Shirur said. I have a sizable lead over others (to win a spot in the Indian team for first two World Cups),so I dont think I need to participate. I am going to train in Germany, she added.

Bhagwat champions of champions

Anjali Bhagwat,41,blew away opposition to win the Rs 51,000 cash prize in the 10m air rifle champions of champions competition at the Karni Singh Shooting Range. Only two men shooters Sanjeev Rajput and Rakesh Manpat made the draw for the event,where only the top 6 scorers in the finals from both the mens and womens field get to shoot. Bhagwat was leading from the start,even as others fell by the way side. Bhagwat fought of Maharashtras Pooja Ghatkar to win the top prize among loud cheers.

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Meanwhile,Railways Shirur finished first in the womens 10m air rifle with a total of 499. 8 ahead of Maharashtras Ghatkar,who totalled 497.7. Maharashtras Ayonika Paul grabbed bronze. Samresh Jung fought off Armys Pemba Tamang in the shoot-off to bag the gold in 25m centre fire pistol after both were tied at 585. Armys Pushpender Singh settled for the third spot. Also winning on Monday was Navys Sanjeev Rajput,who took the gold in mens 50M rifle 3positions in the finals. Armys Imran Hassan Khan and Air Indias Narang finished second and third respectively.