The Hindu : Cash awards for medal winners announced

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 14, 2003

Sport

Sport - Shooting

Cash awards for medal winners announced

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MARCH 13. What is more difficult in a shooting World Cup, winning a medal or winning an Olympic quota? Both are equally difficult.

While some of the leading Indian shooters will be training their focus on winning the Olympic quota, the National Rifle Association of India has announced impressive cash awards only for Indian shooters winning medals in the World Cup to be held at the Dr. Karni Singh Range in Tughlakabad from March 17 to 21.

The president of NRAI and the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Digvijay Singh, announced that an Indian gold medallist in the World Cup will get Rs.25 lakhs.

"Proportionately the silver and bronze medallists will get Rs.15 and Rs.10 lakh. This money will be paid by the NRAI'', said Mr. Digvijay Singh.

Among the Indian shooters only Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat has won both World Cup medals and Olympic quota in recent months.

The rifle ace, Anjali won World Cup silver medals twice in Sydney and Atlanta, before clinching the silver in the prestigious World Cup Finals in Munich, apart from emerging the Champion of Champions among the leading men and women rifle shooters, last season. It is a different matter that there has not been any announcement of cash awards for Anjali's world class achievements, except for Rs.2.5 lakhs for her silver in the Sydney World Cup.

Coming back to the World Cup here, the event expected to feature more than 200 shooters from about 40 countries, is scheduled to be inaugurated by the vice-president, Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, on March 15.

It will be the third time that India would play host to the World Cup, following the ones staged in 1997 and 2000.

The ONGC presented a cheque of Rs. 15 lakh in extending its support for the World Cup. The organisers stated that there were many other private and public sector units that were supporting the cause.

''At a time when the world is in strife, it is a commendable exercise to build friendship with such a world class event'', said the chairman of the organising committee, Mr. K.P. Singh Deo.

The double trap event will be held on March 17, while the trap and skeet events will be held on March 20 and 21.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony on March 22. Incidentally, it will also be the opening ceremony for the ensuing Asian Clay Shooting Championship.

The double trap event in the Asian championship will be on March 24. The trap and skeet events will be held on March 26 and 27.

The Asian championship is expected to have 14 countries, featuring about 140 shooters. The Indian shooters have done well in this championship in the past. The last time in Bangkok, Anwer Sultan won the individual gold and helped the Indian trap team to the gold as well. Manavjit Singh Sandhu won the individual bronze then. The double trap marksmen got a bronze for the team.

''Our shooters over the last few years have shown that they are capable of winning medals in any competition at any level. We are moving towards the Olympic medal also. On our part, we will extend the best possible support to our shooters and also ensure that the championships are held well, matching our tradition of hospitality'', said the secretary general of NRAI, Mr. Baljit Singh Sethi.

It may be mentioned that the Indian shooters have won 65 gold, 43 silver and 26 bronze medals in various international competitions from 1995, when the inaugural Commonwealth Shooting Championship was held.

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