Rudrankksh misses out on Paris trip
Vinayak Padmadeo
New Delhi, June 10
Shooter Rudrankksh Patil will not be part of India’s shooting contingent at the Paris Olympics after the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the rifle/pistol teams for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Rifle/pistol teams
- 10m air pistol men: Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Singh Cheema
- 10m air pistol women: Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan
- 10m air rifle men: Sandip Singh, Arjun Babuta
- 10m air rifle women: Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita
Rudrankksh’s past results in both the individual and mixed competitions in the 10m air rifle were not taken into consideration as NRAI stuck to its Olympics policy, which states that those who were the top two shooters in the trials will take part in the Summer Games.
The decision was taken during a selection meeting headed by Kalikesh Singh Deo, the senior vice-president of the NRAI and newly elected BJP MLA from Odisha’s Bolangir.
Former shooter Moraad Ali Khan, rifle and pistol foreign coaches Thomas Farnik and Munkhbayar Dorjsuren, respectively, and all the Indian coaches were part of the meeting that was held through video conferencing.
“It was made clear at the meeting that there would be no deviation from our selection policy,” said a source privy to the meeting. “This was after it was disclosed that the ISSF had clarified that the spot at the Games is for the country and not the individual. So, the top two ranked shooters in rifle and pistol disciplines will go to Paris and it is final,” the source added.
The teams for the shotgun disciplines — trap and skeet — will be announced after the conclusion of the World Cup in Lonato, Italy, on June 19.
Rudrankksh, a multiple World Cup winner, was overshadowed in the Olympics trials by Army shooter Sandeep Singh that were held in Delhi and Bhopal last month. As a result, he slid down to third in the final rankings for the Olympic Games, ending behind Sandip and Arjun Babuta.
Also, the NRAI top officials have been authorised to take a call on recommendation to swap a quota for a spot in the women’s trap discipline.
As Manu Bhaker has qualified to participate in the 10m air rifle as well as in the 25m sports pistol and mixed team competitions, it is understood that one of the Olympics quota places would be swapped.
However, since the ISSF rules stipulate that the quota swap must be gender specific. So the swap, if subject to the ISSF approval, can only go to a woman shooter. In India’s case, the only discipline it can go to is women’s trap, in which only Ria Rajeshwari has earned the quota.
“It has been left to the NRAI to write to ISSF for the quota swap,” the source informed.
