Date:21/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/21/stories/2006092112362000.htm

Sport - Shooting

Surprises expected in squad

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Anjali Bhagwat, who missed a medal by 0.1 point and the gold by 0.9 points in air rifle in the last Asian Games, may not be chosen to compete in her favourite event and set the record straight, when the selectors meet to pick the Indian shooting squad for the Asian Games on Thursday.

World record holder Suma Shirur along with the new kids on the block — Tejaswini Sawant and Avneet Kaur Sidhu who had an encouraging outing in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester — are expected to shoulder the responsibility in the women's air rifle event.

In the recent trials held at Indore, it was reported that Anjali was good in the 3-position event for which she has already earned an Olympic quota but was unable to be at her best in air rifle. It may be recalled that Anjali had pulled out of the World Championship at Zagreb owing to health problems.

The Indian women's air rifle team of Anjali, Suma and Deepali Deshpande had bagged the silver in the last Asian Games. It was only the second medal in shooting for India in Busan after another team silver in men's trap.

Restriction in numbers

The restriction in numbers, as each country would be allowed to field a maximum of only nine men and four women in the pistol events apart from only five men and as many women in rifle events, would force the selectors to strike a balance, keeping an eye on the best medal prospects.

The shotgun events allow three shooters each in trap, doubletrap and skeet, but it should not be a surprise if the World Championship silver medal-winning team of Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Mansher Singh and Anwer Sultan is disturbed.

Zorawar Singh and Birendeep Sodhi had done well in the trials but it will not be prudent to drop any of the top three, who had finished 1-2-3 in the recent Asian championship at Singapore and had been brilliant in the individual event as well at the World Championship.