Munich ISSF World Cup Preview: Elavenil Valarivan Eyes Podium As Rookies Aim To Shine

Two-time medallist Elavenil Valarivan will fancy her chances on the first competition day of ISSF World Cup in Munich on Tuesday as three shooters from the country make their tournament debut, in the women's 10m air rifle and men's 10m air pistol events respectively.

The first two finals -- the women's 10m air rifle and the men's 10m air pistol -- are lined up on the opening day of the season's third World Cup (Rifle/Pistol) stage at the Olympic Shooting Range.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) had sent a 22-member team for the tournament with double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and Kiran Ankush Jadhav shooting in two individual events.

Elimination and qualifications to four of the 10 events on the roster begin from Tuesday afternoon besides the two finals.

Opportunity for Indian rookies and debutants

India will field as many as three World Cup debutants in the two medal events on the opening day, with national champion Ananya Naidu in the women's event and Aditya Malra and Nishant Rawat in the men's event, starting for the first time at this level.

Arya Borse, the second Indian air rifle shooter, is also in her first senior year but has been in great form, making one individual final and winning two mixed team silvers in the year's first two World Cup stages in Buenos Aires and Lima respectively.

That leaves two-time Olympian and two-time individual World Cup gold medallist Elavenil and Asian Championships winner and four-time World Cup medallist Varun Tomar to don the senior's mantle in the two events.

"The thing is the Munich range is familiar to most of the shooters and they have all come here several times for other events on the European circuit also, so that should not be a problem.

"They have all settled down well and are shooting well in training... so let's see," quipped national rifle coach Deepali Deshpande during pre-event training on Monday morning.

India have done very well in the first two World Cup stages in South America earlier this year and will look to replicate their performance in the Germany city.

National pistol coach Samaresh Jung said, "The scores are good, all are fit and fine, so we are confident enough. The thing about Munich is, it always attracts a big and quality field but if we are able to perform at our best, we should be in the reckoning."

The Challenge

The women's air rifle qualifications will be spread over two relays with a 150 plus field entered and around 118 contending for medals including the three Indians.

Among those 118 will be the reigning Paris Olympics champion in the event Ban Hyojin of Korea as well as the bronze medallist Audrey Gogniat of Switzerland.

Also starting will be the reigning world champion Han Jiayu of China and the 2022 worlds winner Alison Weisz of the USA.

Strong challenges are also expected from the likes of women's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) Olympic champion Chiara Leonne (Switzerland), Paris Games 3P silver medallist Sagen Maddalena (USA) and Norwigian rifle legend Jeannette Hegg Duestad, among others.

In the men's air pistol China's reigning Olympic champion Xie Yu leads all three Paris medallists (Federico Maldini and Paolo Monna of Italy) in starting the event, alongside legends such as Christian Reitz (former Olympic champion) of Germany, Damir Mikec (reining mixed team Olympic champion) of Serbia, Lee Wonho (fourth in Paris) of Korea and Yusuf Dikec (Paris mixed team silver medallist) of Turkiye.

The men's pistol has 117 medal contenders in a total field of 135.

Other Indians in action

Also seen in action on day one will be the women's 25m pistol and men's 3P team. The in-form troika of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Simranpreet Kaur Brar, who all won individual silvers in the two South American legs, will seek high scores in the first precision stage of the event.

Likewise, the men's 3P team comprising Paris bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale and the seasoned Chain Singh, besides Kiran Jadhav, will try to navigate through the first elimination round of the event, before the qualifications and the final, takes place on Wednesday.