Targeting Gold: Indian Shooters Begin High-Intensity World Championship Preparations in Delhi
Top Indian shooters including Manu Bhaker and Himanshu Dhillon start a high-intensity camp in Delhi for the 2026 ISSF World Championship in Doha.
The road to Doha has officially begun. India's elite shooting squad has descended upon the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi to kick off a rigorous preparatory camp starting October 22. This intensive training phase is designed to sharpen the skills of athletes across the rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines before they head to Qatar for the ISSF World Championship, scheduled from November 1 to 14.
A Strategic Training Roadmap
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has meticulously structured the camp into phases to ensure every discipline receives specialized attention. The schedule is broken down as follows:
- October 22–29: Training for 10m Rifle and Pistol athletes, the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol squad, and Skeet shooters.
- October 22–31: Extended camp for 50m Rifle and Women’s 25m Pistol athletes.
- October 28–November 4: Specialized training for the Trap contingent.
The Star-Studded Squad
India is fielding a powerhouse team across various categories, featuring a blend of seasoned veterans and rising stars:
Rifle Disciplines
In the 10m Air Rifle, the men's side features Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, and Paarth Makhija, while the women's squad includes Shambhavi Kshirsagar, Sonam Uttam Maskar, and Elavenil Valarivan. The 50m Rifle group consists of Niraj Kumar, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, and Akhil Sheoran for the men, and Vidarsa K Vinod, Ashi Chouksey, and Anjum Moudgil for the women.
Pistol Disciplines
The 10m Air Pistol sees Ravin Kumar, Jaypal Malviya, and Kamaljeet representing the men, with Sainyam, Suruchi, and the Olympic star Manu Bhaker leading the women. In the 25m Pistol category, the men's squad includes Suraj Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, and Bhavesh Shekhawat, while the women's team is comprised of Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Divya T.S.
Shotgun Disciplines
The Skeet team features Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, and Anantjeet Singh Naruka (Men), alongside Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, and Raiza Dhillon (Women). Joining later for the Trap events are Zoravar Singh Sandhu, Vivaan Kapoor, and Udaiveer Singh Jaijee for the men, and Neeru, Manisha Keer, and Pragati Dubey for the women.
The Stakes: Los Angeles 2028
This camp is not just about the World Championship trophy; it is the first critical step toward the 2028 Olympic Games. The event in Doha will mark the commencement of the Olympic qualification process for Los Angeles, with a staggering 36 Olympic quota places up for grabs.
"The preparatory camp in New Delhi is an important phase for our athletes as they fine-tune their performance... We will be closely tracking qualification-to-final conversion and podium conversion percentages, as these will be key indicators of our preparedness and competitiveness," stated Dr Pierre Beauchamp, High Performance Director of the NRAI.
Dr. Beauchamp emphasized that the focus remains on establishing clear performance benchmarks and ensuring that every athlete is technically, physically, and mentally equipped to handle the pressure of international finals. This domestic camp serves as the final polishing phase before the Indian contingent travels to Doha to face the world's best shooters.