Pak shooters eye Olympic berths

KARACHI: A number of shooters from Pakistan will take part in three world cups and a regional championship this year to earn places in Rio Olympics.
Six athletes will take part in the ISSF World Cup Shotgun scheduled in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, from March 10-29. The events for men are trap, double trap, and skeet.
“These athletes have been selected tentatively and will be finalised after the national shooting championship to be held next month in Jhelum,” said Executive Vice President National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) Razi Ahmed Khan.
He added that 14 athletes would be sent to the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol, which would be held in Changwon, Korea, from April 8-16. The events for men in this competition are 50m Rifle 3 Positions, 50m Rifle Prone, 10m Air Rifle, 50m Pistol, 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, and 10m Air Pistol. For women there will be 50m Rifle 3 Positions, 10m Air Rifle, 25m Pistol, and 10m Air Pistol.
“The athletes doing well at national and international events will play the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Larnaca, Cyprus, from April 24 to May 4,” he said. He added that the focus was on young athletes playing pistol and rifle events. “We have identified five players, including one girl, who will play international events this year. They will play the 13th Asian Championship to be held in Kuwait from November 1-12,” added Razi. “Our 18 athletes have achieved Minimum Qualifying Scores (MQS) so we have high hopes,” said Razi.
Meanwhile, skeet shooter Usman Chand told this scribe that he would participate in the shotgun world event in UAE. “I am going on my own. I hope to do well so that I can play the next world cup in Cyprus,” he added.