Tokyo Olympics: Manu likely for 25m pistol, Anjum for 50m 3P

Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 3

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is likely to pick up Haryana’s Manu Bhaker for the 25m Pistol competition for the Tokyo Olympics. Manu’s Final Average Score (FAS) of 585 points, calculated according to NRAI’s Olympic Selection policy and after two trials, is two points higher than that of Chinki Yadav.

If the cumulative scores after the special trials are taken into consideration, then Manu is on top with a FAS of 586 points. Chinki drops to third despite getting two bonus points accorded to Olympics quota winners.

With Rahi Sarnobat not in any danger of missing out on a spot in the team, it is likely that Madhya Pradesh shooter Chinki would not be included.

Other than this quandary, there is one more tricky decision to be made in the women’s 10m Air Rifle discipline when the NRAI selection panel meets here tomorrow. Elavenil Valarivan is an early favourite to represent India in both individual and mixed team competitions. Since India has not won a quota in the mixed team event, either Apurvi Chandela or Chandigarh girl Anjum Moudgil will have to make way for Elavenil, who is currently the world No.1 in the rifle discipline.

Other than her ranking, Elavenil’s team-up with Divyansh Singh Panwar has made her the favourite to be picked up in the discipline. In such a scenario, it is likely that the selection committee will ask Anjum to move to the 50m 3 Positions competition. In that case, Chinki’s spare quota place will be handed to Anjum for the 50m 3 Positions competition.

Likely squad

10m Air Rifle: Apurvi Chandela, Elavenil Valarivan, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Deepak Kumar.

10m Air Pistol: Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker, Yashaswini Singh Deswal

25m Pistol: Manu Bhaker, Rahi Sarnobat

50m 3 Positions: Sanjeev Rajput, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Tejaswini Sawant, Anjum Moudgil