New Delhi, March 15 (NationPress) The concluding training camp for India's shooting team in preparation for the international shooting season, which features the ISSF World Cup stages in Argentina and Peru, commenced at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (DKSSR) nearby on Saturday. Nearly all 35 members of the national team, with a few exceptions, reported on Friday (reporting day) and began rigorous training under their respective coaches from Saturday morning.

The first group of shooters is set to depart for Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, where the year’s inaugural International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage will take place from April 1 to 11, on March 26.

This South American segment will subsequently move to Lima, Peru, hosting the second combined ISSF World Cup stage from April 13 to 22.

As previously reported, double Olympic bronze medallist Manu Bhaker will be the sole Indian competitor participating in two individual events: the women’s 10m air pistol and the women’s 25m pistol. Indian shooters are set to compete across 15 events, covering rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines, which include 12 individual events and three mixed-team events.

“This is the first national camp of the year, so the primary focus will be on identifying areas for improvement for various individuals. Many seasoned national campers are present, so their strengths and areas for development are generally well-known. New shooters will receive more attention,” stated Deepali Deshpande, Dronacharya awardee and Head Coach of the squad.

Among the new shooters is national Air Rifle women’s champion Ananya Naidu, who is visibly thrilled to be at the camp. She expressed, “Yes, it is fantastic. Although I have competed against them in domestic events, being in the presence of such esteemed coaches and athletes and having dedicated time to learn from them is a wonderful experience. I aim to absorb and learn as much as possible.”

India has a commendable history in recent ISSF tournaments, even during the previous year which featured a limited ISSF calendar due to it being an Olympic year. The team topped the medal tally in the opening combined World Cup stage in Cairo, Egypt, before achieving a historic three-medal performance at the Paris Olympics.

This year, the world’s leading shooters will primarily focus on the World Championships scheduled for October (Shotgun) and November (Rifle/Pistol). Three World Cup stages for each discipline are planned, along with two junior world cups, the second of which will take place in New Delhi in September. The 16th Asian Championships in Kazakhstan in August are also on the international calendar this year.