Indian shooters are gearing up for the start of the international rifle/pistol season with the commencement of the ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Cup in Granada, Spain. The mixed team events in 10m Air Rifle and 10m Air Pistol will mark the opening day of the competition. The event will take place at the Las Gabias Shooting Range in Granada, with the medals for the mixed team events set to be decided on Tuesday.
The competition will kick off with the qualification rounds for the 10m Air Pistol mixed team at 12:45 IST (9:15 AM local time), followed by the final scheduled for 16:30 IST (1 PM local time). Additionally, the qualification rounds for the 10m Air Rifle mixed team will start at 15:45 IST (12:15 PM local time), with the final set for 19:30 IST (4 PM local time).
In the pistol event, Indian shooters Palak Gulia and Mukesh Nelavalli, along with Sainyam and Ujjawal Malik, will be competing against a field of accomplished shooters, including reigning Olympic and World champions. Notable pairings from China, such as Hu Kai and Yao Qianxun, as well as Xie Yu and Shen Yiyao, are expected to pose a strong challenge.
India’s representation in the 10m Air Rifle event will feature pairs including Sonam Uttam Maskar and Gajanan Shahdev Khandagale, as well as Shruti and Arshdeep Singh. These Indian pairs will face tough competition from top-ranked shooters like Sheng Lihao and Wang Zifei from China, among others from different countries vying for medals.
As per the selection policy, India has entered shooters ranked between 4 and 6 in the domestic national rankings. With an eye on the world championships in Doha later in the year, which will offer the first Los Angeles 2028 quota places, shooters are keen to test their skills early in the season. This event not only serves as a platform for international shooters to gauge their competitiveness but also provides India with an opportunity to assess its depth ahead of the Asian Games.
