Four Pak shooters in World Cup Shotgun

KARACHI: Four shooters of the country are to take part in ISSF World Cup Shotgun to be held in Al-Ain, the United Arab Emirates, from March 19-29.
According to the entry list of the event, Usman Chand and Khurrum Inam are in skeet category; Aamer Iqbal in trap and double trap; and Fakhar-ul-Islam Qureshi in trap.
The individual qualifying score of Usman is 115 and Fakhar-ul-Islam’s is 116.
Aamer’s score for trap is 113 and 128 for double trap.
As many as 397 athletes from 65 countries are taking part in the World Cup.
It is worth adding here that 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.
The trap events will be played on March 21 and 22; double trap on 23 and 24; and the skeet events on 27 and 28.
“I have got the visa and will leave on the morning of 24th from Sialkot. I am hopeful that I will reach the super-six round,” Usman told ‘The News’.
Usman, who won bronze medal in skeet for Punjab in the recently concluded National Shooting Championship in Jhelum, added that he was training hard to show his best in the World Cup. “If I manage to perform better in this World Cup, I will play two more this year,” he added.
Sindh’s Khurrum, who won gold medal in skeet in the national shooting championship, is also expected to win a quota place for Rio Olympics.
Aamer and Fakhar are from Army.
The National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) will send 14 athletes to the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol, which will be held in Changwon, Korea, from April 8-16.
Five players, including one girl, will be sent for the 13th Asian Championship to be held in Kuwait from November 1-12.
Moreover, athletes doing well at national and international events will get a chance to play the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Larnaca, Cyprus, from April 24 to May 4.
It is pertinent to mention here that 18 athletes of the country have achieved MQS required for earning quota places for Rio Olympics.