New Delhi, March 27 (NationPress) Olympian Maheshwari Chauhan delivered an impressive score of 69 during the opening day of the qualification round at the Tangier Shooting Club in Morocco. This performance positions her favorably for a spot in the finals of the women's skeet event at the first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Shotgun World Cup of the year.

Beginning her day early on Friday, Maheshwari scored 21 in the first round but rebounded strongly, finishing with two rounds of 24, which secured her the seventh position on the leaderboard. The top eight competitors will advance to the finals on Saturday, following two additional rounds of qualification.

Her teammates, Darshna Rathore and Yashasvi Rathore, recorded scores of 64 each, placing them in 25th and 26th positions respectively, just ahead of reigning Olympic champion Francisca Crovetto Chadid from Chile, who matched their score. Leading the 41-competitor field is Emmanouela Katzouraki from Greece with 72 hits.

In the men’s skeet category, Parampal Singh Guron stood out as the top Indian contender with a score of 70 (25, 22, 23). Young shooter Jyotiraditya Singh Sisodia finished with 67 (23, 22, 22), while Man Singh concluded the day with 64 (21, 21, 22). All three athletes face a challenging path on Saturday to secure a place in the top eight.

The competition features a highly competitive lineup, including Olympic and World Champions. India has fielded the maximum quota of six athletes in both the men’s and women’s categories, with two additional shooters from each gender competing for ranking points.

The women’s event boasts an impressive array of talent, including Olympic champion Francisca Crovetto Chadid, who is making her return to international competition after maternity leave. She will compete alongside reigning world champion Samantha Simonton from the United States. Other notable competitors include Diana Bacosi from Italy, a double Olympic and world champion, and former world champion Dania Jo Vizzi of the USA, as well as Kazakhstan’s world medallist Assem Orynbay, contributing to a fiercely competitive atmosphere.

The men’s event features an 82-strong lineup, highlighted by World Championship 2025 bronze medallist Emil Kjeldgaard Petersen from Denmark. Other top competitors include last season’s World Cup finals winner Christian Elliot from the USA, Italy’s double Olympic champion Gabriele Rossetti, Tokyo silver medallist Jesper Hansen (also from Denmark), and former world champion and Asian Games champion Masoud Saleh Al-Athba from Qatar. Notably, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa will represent Canada for the first time after previously competing under the Indian flag.