SportsPosted at: Oct 31 2026 6:41PM


Indian shooters eye LA 2028 quota places at ISSF Worlds

New Delhi, Oct 31 (UNI) Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, Elavenil Valarivan and Asian Games double gold medallist Neeru Dhanda will spearhead India's challenge at the ISSF World Championship (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun), which gets underway in Doha on Sunday, as the country's leading shooters look to put their recent disappointment in Aichi-Nagoya behind them and begin their quest for 2028 Los Angeles Olympic quotas.
With the competition also marking the start of the Olympic qualification cycle, the Indian contingent will have a significant opportunity to regain lost ground and set the tone for the road to Los Angeles.
India returned from the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with 15 medals — three gold, eight silver and four bronze — a considerable drop from its 22-medal haul at Hangzhou, where the shooters had won seven gold, nine silver and six bronze. The Doha championship will offer an early indication of how the team has responded to that setback.
A total of 36 quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be available across 12 individual events, raising the stakes for the competition. Indian shooters will be keen to make an early mark in the qualification race while also measuring themselves against a strong international field.
Neeru will be among the shooters carrying confidence into the championship after her impressive showing at the Asian Games, where she won gold in both the individual and mixed team events, besides adding a team silver. Manu and Esha will lead the country's hopes in pistol, while Elavenil will be a key figure in the rifle section. Suruchi Inder Singh is another shooter to watch as India looks to strengthen its presence across the disciplines.
The men's team will also have important contributions to make, with Samrat Rana and Varun Tomar among the names expected to shoulder responsibility. The performances in Doha will be closely assessed as India looks to address the gaps exposed in Aichi-Nagoya and build a settled combination for the Olympic cycle.
India's campaign will be started by the 10m air rifle teams from November 3. Parth Mane, Himanshu Dhillon and Paarth Makhija form the men's team, while Shambhavi Kshirsagar, Sonam Maskar and Elavenil Valarivan will represent the country in the women's event.
The championship will take place amid heightened attention to security in the region. The International Shooting Sport Federation said: "In light of recent developments in the region, the ISSF is closely monitoring the security situation in cooperation with the Qatar Shooting & Archery Association, the relevant national authorities and other appropriate partners.”UNI TB AAB
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