Indian Junior Shooters Gear Up for ISSF World Cup in Cairo

Indian junior shooters are gearing up for their first competition of the season at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Cairo. With a strong contingent of 71 athletes, they will compete for medals in the 10m Air Rifle Women and 10m Air Pistol Men events. The competition schedule includes various stages starting from 12:30 IST, with notable athletes like Shambhavi Kshirsagar and Shiva Narwal leading their respective teams. This event not only marks a significant opportunity for the juniors but also serves as a precursor to the upcoming Junior World Championships in Germany. Read on for detailed insights into the teams and competition schedule.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 20, 2026, 18:51 IST

Indian Shooters Ready for Cairo Competitions

Junior shooters from India are set to compete for the first time this season, with two medals up for grabs in the 10m Air Rifle Women and 10m Air Pistol Men events as the ISSF Junior World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun kicks off at the Egypt International Olympic City.

Strong Indian Contingent

India has sent a robust team of 71 athletes, with the initial group of 58, along with their support staff, arriving in Cairo yesterday.

Day One Competition Schedule

The first day of competition will commence with the 25m Pistol Precision stage for both genders, alongside 75 targets for skeet events. The qualification rounds will begin at 12:30 IST (9 AM local time).

Following this, the qualification for the 10m Air Rifle Women, the day's first medal event, will start at 12:45 IST (9:15 AM local time), with the final scheduled for 15:30 IST (12 Noon local time).

The second medal event, the 10m Air Pistol Men, will kick off at 15:00 IST (11:30 AM local time), with its final set for 17:45 IST (2:15 PM local time).

10m Air Rifle Women's Team

India's squad for the 10m Air Rifle Women includes six athletes, led by Shambhavi Kshirsagar, the Asian Junior record holder and 2025 ISSF World Cup Suhl champion. She is joined by Anushka Thokur, the 2025 Asian Champion in 50m Rifle 3 Positions, along with medalists from the 2026 Asian Championships: Manyata Singh, Aneesha Sharma, Anvii Rathod, and Panaah Bhugra.

10m Air Pistol Men's Team

The 10m Air Pistol Men's event will also feature six Indian athletes, including Shiva Narwal, a former Junior World Champion and 2023 World Championship gold medalist in the mixed event, returning to international competition after three years. Other participants include Deaflympics 2025 champion Abhinav Deshwal, Abhinav Choudhary, Abhay Dhama, Himanshu Rana, and 17-year-old Chirag Sharma.

Only the top three athletes from each country, based on their qualification scores, will advance to the finals.

25m Pistol and Skeet Teams

Sameer Gulia, a former World and Junior World Championship medalist, leads India's 25m Pistol squad. In the men's category, competitors include Abhinav Choudhary, Sahil Choudhary, Sagnik Banerjee, Pranshu Suryavanshi, and Bhanu Pratap Singh Shekhawat. The women's team features Parisha Gupta, Anjali Mahendra Bhagwat, Agam Kaur Grewal, Manvi Jain, Sejal Kamble, and Shikha Chaudhary.

In the Skeet events, India will have five male athletes: Zoarawar Singh Bedi, Harviraj Singh, Ishaan Singh Libra, Yashvardhan Singh Rajawat, and Anjaneya Singh Mandawa, along with four female athletes: Risham Kaur Guron, Parmeet Kaur, Agrima Kanwar, and Sanyogita Shekhawat.

International Participation

A total of 284 athletes from 25 nations are participating in Cairo, with India boasting the largest team. The host nation, Egypt, has sent a squad of 29, while Russia, competing under the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) banner, has a sizable team of 43. Other notable countries include France with 24 athletes, Great Britain with 16, and Italy with 13.

This event serves as a crucial opportunity for Indian juniors to showcase their skills ahead of the Junior World Championships scheduled for June in Suhl, Germany.