Legendary marksman Jaspal Rana has raised concerns over the delay in naming the Indian shooting contingent for the Paris Olympics, expressing that it leaves little time for final preparations. While several countries have already announced their squads and are in the final stages of training, India has commenced a month-long trial process.
The top-five ranked shooters in pistol and rifle categories will undergo four trials, with the selection for Paris to be made after that. However, this leaves precious little time for the last phase of training, as the Olympics commence on July 26.
Rana criticized the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for not announcing the squad in shotgun events, despite the trials being completed. He believes that this delay puts pressure on shooters who have won quota places, while those who have not have less pressure.
Rana also criticized the ongoing trials at the Karni Singh Ranges, saying he had never seen a competition where only five shooters per event were short-listed. He believes that at least three more shooters should have been included to complete the minimum requirements in a competition.
He also expressed concerns about the number of trials, saying that it was too much and gave little time for rest and recovery. In the case of Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh, they will have to appear in eight trials, putting added pressure on their physical and mental well-being.
Rana believes that the federation could have used some of the scores in national and international competitions as trial scores, reducing the number of trials required. He also emphasized that shooters should be ready for anything, but that the current situation is not ideal for de-stressing.
