ISSF World Cup Final: After Paris High, India Look To Continue Momentum At Home

The absence of the Paris Olympic medallists notwithstanding, hosts India will not be short on firepower when they compete in the season-ending World Cup Final, starting from Tuesday, with Rhythm Sangwan headlining a 23-member squad. The Paris Olympics medallists automatically qualify for the tournament, but Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, who won the bronze, have opted to skip the event to be staged at the Dr. Karni Singh Range.

Besides Rhythm, rising stars such as Ganemat Sekhon (women's skeet) and Sonam Maskar (women's 10m air rifle) will look to excel in the tournament, having earned their spots based on world rankings.

The Indian squad features nine athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics, including Arjun Babuta (men's 10m air rifle), Anish Bhanwala (men's 25m rapid fire pistol.

Rhythm will compete in both the women's 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events.

The other Olympians in the squad include Mairaj Ahmad Khan (men's skeet), Divyansh Singh Panwar (men's 10m air rifle), and Chain Singh (men's 50m rifle 3 positions).

Also ready to shoot in the World Cup Final are Arjun Singh Cheema (men's 10m air pistol), Vijayveer Sidhu (men's 25m rapid fire pistol), Anantjeet Singh Narukha (men's skeet), Maheshwari Chauhan (women's skeet), Rajeshwari Kumari (women's trap) and Shreyasi Singh (women's trap). All these shooters competed in the Paris Games.

There are four finals lined up on each of the three competition days in this traditional ISSF season-ending showdown between the best in the world. Due to host country norms, a minimum of two Indian shooters will be in action in each of the 12 individual Olympic events on the roster.

Action begins on Tuesday with the 10m air rifle women being the first final on the