Six Pak shooters in Asian Shotgun C’ship in Kuwait

KARACHI: Six Pakistani shooters will participate in the 8th Asian Shotgun Championships to be held in Kuwait from November 2-12.

According to the entry list, Usman Chand and Khurrum Inam will play skeet event, while Aamer Iqbal will participate in trap and double trap events. Usman’s Initial Qualifying Score (IQS) is 122 points and Aamer’s IQS in Trap event is 115 points.

Farrukh Nadeem and Zafar-ul-Haq will also take part in the trap event. Farrukh’s IQS is 117. Aamer’s daughter Shahnoor Iqbal will play skeet event for women in junior category. “This is quite encouraging that women are showing interest in shotgun events,” said Executive Vice President of National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) Javaid S Lodhi while talking to ‘The News’.

He added that two women athletes in Karachi played trap event regularly. “Usually girls don’t play shotgun events in Pakistan but things are changing now,” he added. Javaid said that this Asian championship is not to have quota places for Olympics 2020. “Yet, we are sending our athletes to this event. NRAP has sponsored only Usman and the rest of the players are either self-sponsored or sponsored by their respective organisations,” said Javaid.

He said they were being sent to Asian championship so that they could have international exposure and improve their international rankings. “One quota place for Olympics is given on the basis of international rankings. So, any of our players in the top rankings might get that quota place,” reasoned Javaid.

He said that Farrukh and Zafar might withdraw from this championship. Rashid Idrees will take part in the 10-metre air pistol category in the 11th Asian Airgun Championships that is scheduled in the same dates in Kuwait.