Date:15/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121554791800.htm

Sport - Shooting

Sodhi and Mansher for National meet

Sports Reporter

JAIPUR: Big names like World Cup gold winner Ronjan Sodhi and veteran Mansher Singh will be the star attraction at the 52nd National shooting championships in shotgun events that begin at the Oases ranges here on Monday.

Sodhi, who matched two world records in the double trap competition of the ISSF World Cup in Belgrade in June but was unable to get a wildcard for the Beijing Olympics, will try to use this opportunity as a platform to warm up for the elite international competitions. His keenness to do well here can be gauged from the fact that he has been stationed here more than a week to have good practice.

Trap shooter Mansher, a let down at the Beijing Olympics, will be looking to regain his confidence.

Around 200 shooters will participate in three events — trap, double trap and skeet.

Medal contenders

Besides Sodhi, two other shooters, Vikram Bhatnagar and last year’s junior National champion Ajay Mittal, will be the medal contenders in double trap in the absence of Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

In men’s trap event, where World Champion and holder Manavjit Singh Sandhu is missing from the starting line-up, Anwar Sultan, Zorawar Singh Sandhu and Amarjeet Singh are expected to give a tough fight to Mansher.

Amit Sanghi and along with fellow industrialist Naveen Jindal, are expected to provide some good competition. Mehraj Khan will also be watched with interest.

Asian shotgun championship silver medallist Shagun Chowdhary, Shreyasi Singh and Bharti Singh will be the main contenders in women’s trap while young Saina Sheikh holds promise in skeet.

The field has some promising youngsters. Arsher Noria (double trap), D. Kynan Chenai (trap) — winners in the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune in October — and Girdhar P. Singh are capable of shooting some exciting scores.

The men’s trap event will be held on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the double trap on Thursday. Skeet for men and women is slated for December 20 and 21.

Women’s trap will take place on December 21. In each category, the shooters will go through a qualification round from which top six shooters for fight for the medals.