Shooting events at Tokyo 2020 Olympics will begin from Friday, July 23 and run till Monday, August 2.
The shooting event programme includes three primary disciplines: Rifle and pistol (where athletes shoot at stationary targets in a range) and shotgun (which involves hitting moving targets).
There are four gun types and three distances: 50m rifle, 10m air rifle, 25m rapid fire pistol and 10m air pistol. There are two varieties in shotgun: trap (where the targets are thrown a long distance from a single trap) and skeet (where targets are thrown from traps on the left and right).
The Indian contingent will be someone to watch out at Tokyo 2020, as they will field a record 15-member team to the Summer Games. This is the largest Indian shooting contingent at the Olympics and the third time the nation will participate in a multi-discipline game - after the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the entry list for Tokyo 2020 Olympics on April 4, with Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar (Men) and Yashaswini Deswal (Women) the top-ranked players heading into the Summer Games.
The biggest strength, and possibly a drawback, will be the youthful squad that India takes to Tokyo.
Only four shooters - Rahi Sarnobat (25m pistol), Apurvi Chandela (10m air rifle), Sanjeev Rajput (50m rifle three position) and Mairaj Ahmad Khan - have competed at the Olympics previously.
This puts the young team - most of whom are currently top-ranked in the world - under pressure to secure gold for the first time since Abhinav Bindra’s historic feat at Beijing 2008. India’s last medals in shooting at the World Games were won by Vijay Kumar (silver) and Gagan Narang (bronze) at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Meanwhile, Divyansh Singh Panwar, the only top-ranked Indian in the 10m Air Rifle event, and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, ranked first in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, will be the top players to watch out in the Men’s category this year.
In the Women’s category, youngster Manu Bhaker will be the shooter to watch out for. The 19-year-old, India's first female gold medalist at the Youth Olympics (2018 Buenos Aires), has won six gold medals at World Cups, including individual and mixed gold at the 2019 ISSF World Cup. Manu Bhaker will take part in two individual events - 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol.
In the mixed category, Manu Bhaker will continue her strong partnership with Saurabh Chaudhary. The pair won gold at the 2019 ISSF World Cup, but like in the case of Bhaker, Saurabh is another talent primed to script history. The 19-year-old was the youngest Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, and will participate in the individual 10m air pistol event besides the mixed event.
Anjum Moudgil, who secured a quota for India at Tokyo 2020 courtesy of silver at the 2018 ISSF World Championships, is expected to return with her best result in the Rifle 3 Positions event.
Because of her 2018 feat, 21-year-old Elavenil Valarivan can participate in the 10m air rifle event despite being the only player not to win an Olympic quota.
The Olympic quota, or qualification berths, are earned by individual shooters but won for a country. The respective national federation/selection panel then allots it to a different shooter if they are seen as a better medal prospect.
India Shooting squad for Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Men’s category
10m Air Rifle Men
Divyansh Singh Panwar, Deepak Kumar
Reserves: Sandeep Singh, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar
50m Rifle 3 Position Men
Sanjeev Rajput, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar
Reserves: Swapnil Kusale, Chain Singh
10m Air Pistol Men
Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma
Reserves: Shahzar Rizvi, Om Prakash Mitharval
Skeet Men (Shotgun)
Angadvir Singh Bajwa, Mairaj Ahmad Khan
Reserves: Gurjoat Singh Khangura, Sheeraz Sheikh
Women’s category
10m Air Rifle Women
Apurvi Chandela, Elavenil Valarivan
Reserves: Anjum Moudgil, Shreya Agarwal
50m Rifle 3 Position Women
Anjum Moudgil, Tejaswini Sawant
Reserves: Sunidhi Chauhan, Gaayathri N
10m Air Pistol Women
Manu Bhaker, Yashaswini Singh Deswal
Reserves: P Shri Nivetha, Shweta Singh
25m Pistol Women
Rahi Sarnobat, Manu Bhaker
Reserves: Chinki Yadav, Abhidnya Patil
Mixed category
10m Air Rifle
Divyansh Singh Panwar and Elavenil Valarivan, Deepak Kumar and Anjum Moudgil
10m Air Pistol
Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker, Abhishek Verma and Yashaswini Singh Deswal
Shooting at Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Schedule, fixtures and live India match times
All match times are in Indian Standard Time (IST) and will be held at the Asaka Shooting Range.
Friday, July 23
5 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Women's Pre-Event Training
6.30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Men's Pre-Event Training
Saturday, July 24
5 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Women's Qualification
5:30 AM IST - Skeet Men's Pre-Event Training
5:30 AM IST - Skeet Women's Pre-Event Training
6:30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Women's Pre-Event Training
7:15 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Women's Final
9:30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Men's Qualification
11:15 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Men's Pre-Event Training
12 PM IST - 10m Air Pistol Men's Final
Sunday, July 25
5:30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Women's Qualification
5:30 AM IST - Skeet Women's Qualification - Day 1
6 AM IST - Skeet Men's Qualification - Day 1
7:45 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Women's Final
9:30 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Men's Qualification
12 PM IST - 10m Air Rifle Men's Final
Monday, July 26
5:30 AM IST - Trap Men's Official Training
5:30 AM IST - Skeet Women's Qualification - Day 2
5:30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Pre-Event Training
6:30 AM IST - Skeet Men's Qualification - Day 2
11.20 AM IST - Skeet Women's Final
12:20 PM IST - Skeet Men's Final
Tuesday, July 27
5.30 AM IST - Trap Men's Pre-Event Training
5.30 AM IST - Trap Women's Pre-Event Training
5.30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Qualification Stage 1
5.30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Qualification Stage 2
7.30 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Bronze Medal Match
8:05 AM IST - 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Gold Medal Match
9.45 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Qualification Stage 1
9.45 AM IST - 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Qualification Stage 2
11.45 PM IST - 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Bronze Medal Match
12.20 PM IST - 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Gold Medal Match
Wednesday, July 28
5.30 AM IST - 25m Pistol Women's Pre-Event Training
5.30 AM IST - Trap Women's Qualification - Day 1
5.55 AM IST - Trap Men's Qualification - Day 1
Thursday, July 29
5.30 AM IST - 25m Pistol Women's Qualification Precision
5.30 AM IST - Trap Women's Qualification - Day 2
6.20 AM IST - Trap Men's Qualification - Day 2
10 AM IST - 25m Pistol Women's Official Training
11 AM IST - Trap Women's Final
12 PM IST - Trap Men's Final
Friday, July 30
5.30 AM IST - 25m Pistol Women's Qualification Rapid
5.30 AM IST - Trap Mixed Team Pre-Event Training
9 AM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women's Pre-Event Training
11.20 AM IST - 25m Pistol Women's Final
Saturday, July 31
5:30 AM IST - 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men's Pre-Event Training
5.30 AM IST - Trap Mixed Team Qualification
8 AM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women's Qualification
9.30 AM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Official Training
10 AM IST - Trap Mixed Team Bronze Medal Match
10.30 AM IST - Trap Mixed Team Gold Medal Match
12.30 PM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women's Final
Sunday, August 1
5 AM IST - 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men's Qualification - Stage 1
8 AM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Pre-Event Training
Monday, August 2
5 AM IST - 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men's Qualification - Stage 2 -
8 AM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Qualification
11 AM IST - 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men's Final
1.20 PM IST - 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Final
Where to watch Shooting events at Tokyo 2020 Olympics live in India?
Shooting events at Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be telecast on the Sony Pictures Network India. Coverage will begin live at 7.30 AM IST on Sony’s TV channels in India.
Live streaming of the Shooting events at Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.
Featured photo: Sports Authority of India
