Tangier (Morocco), March 26 (NationPress) The Indian skeet shooting team is primed for competition as the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Shotgun World Cup kicks off at the Club Tangérois de Tir in Tangier, Morocco, this Thursday. This inaugural event of the 2026 season will showcase some of the globe's elite shooters in a fiercely competitive atmosphere.

On the first day, competitors will engage with 75 targets for both genders, followed by 50 targets leading into the finals on Sunday. Events commence at 13:30 IST (9 AM local time), with the women's finals commencing at 20:30 IST (4 PM local time), and the men's finals scheduled for 22:00 IST (5:30 PM local time) on Sunday.

The competition features an impressive lineup of Olympic and World Champions. India has sent the maximum allowable contingent of six athletes for both men and women, alongside two additional shooters from each gender vying for ranking points.

The women's field boasts luminaries such as the reigning Olympic champion Francisca Crovetto Chadid from Chile, who is making her return to international competition after maternity leave, and Samantha Simonton of the USA, the current world champion. Additionally, double Olympic and world champion Diana Bacosi of Italy is set to participate, alongside former world champion Dania Jo Vizzi of the USA and Kazakhstan's world championship medallist Assem Orynbay, ensuring a highly competitive environment.

The Indian team includes Maheshwari Chauhan, Olympian siblings Darshana Rathore and Yashasvi Rathore. Yashasvi, the younger sibling, secured second place in the 68th Nationals and won silver in the junior category at the Asian Championships in Shymkent last year. Areeba Khan and Mansi Raghuwanshi will also compete, but they are only in contention for ranking points.

In the men's event, an impressive field of 82 competitors includes Emil Kjeldgaard Petersen from Denmark, the bronze medallist at the 2025 World Championship, leading the pack. Noteworthy participants include Christian Elliot of the USA, last season's World Cup finals champion, Italy's double Olympic champion Gabriele Rossetti, and Tokyo silver medallist Jesper Hansen from Denmark, as well as former world champion and Asian Games champion Masoud Saleh Al-Athba of Qatar. Additionally, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa will represent Canada for the first time after previously competing for India.

India's hopes rest on seasoned competitors Man Singh and Parampal Singh Guron, alongside Jyotiraditya Singh Sisodiya, who is making his senior international debut. Man, a former Asian champion, is returning to the team after a three-year hiatus, while Parampal last donned the Indian colors in 2022. Jyotiraditya clinched a junior bronze in his most recent international outing at the Shymkent Asian Championships last year, eager to make a mark on his senior debut. Sukhbir Singh Harika and junior national champion Harmehar Singh Lally will also be competing for ranking points.

With a blend of Olympic champions, world champions, seasoned finalists, and up-and-coming talents, this World Cup is set to create an exciting kickoff for the season. As athletes begin their pursuit of Olympic qualification, all eyes will be on Tangier to see who establishes the early standard for the upcoming year.