Emerging Shooters Shine at ISSO Shooting Nationals in Faridabad
Young Talent Showcased at ISSO Shooting Nationals
Faridabad (Haryana) [India], September 25: The ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, have spotlighted Indian shooting, inspiring the next generation of marksmen at the ISSO Shooting Nationals held at Sancta Maria International School, Faridabad.
Over 200 aspiring shooters from more than 75 schools participated in this four-day event, competing in various categories for U-14, U-17, and U-19 boys and girls.
India's recent achievements in the 10m air rifle events at the Asian Games, where young athletes secured four silver medals and one bronze, serve as a testament to the potential of these young competitors, as noted in a press release from ISSO.
The ISSO Shooting Nationals offered a structured platform for school athletes to engage in competitive shooting, showcasing the discipline, patience, and precision essential to the sport throughout the event.
In the U-14 category, gold medalists included Dyuti Reddy Chavva (One World International School – Sarjapur Campus) in 10m Air Pistol Girls, Vrinda Srivastava (Candor International School) in 10m Air Rifle Peep Sight Girls, and Ripanshi Dutta (Calcutta International School) in 10m Air Rifle Open Sight Girls. In the boys' events, Adhavan Karthikkumar (HLC International School) won gold in 10m Air Pistol, while Vivaan Ayyar (Oakridge International School Bangalore) and Rudra Sachin Awale (Sanjay Ghodawat International School) topped the 10m Air Rifle Peep Sight and Open Sight Boys categories, respectively.
For the U-17 category, Niara Abhijit Kedar (Chatrabhuj Narsee School, Mumbai) clinched gold in 10m Air Pistol Girls, while Riya Pradeep Rathnam (One World International School – Sarjapur Campus) and Rimsha Sachin Patil (Sanjay Ghodawat International School) excelled in the 10m Air Rifle Peep Sight and Open Sight Girls events. In the boys' section, Chadhurvedh M (Lady Andal School) took home the gold in 10m Air Pistol, Ayush P Chipalkatti (Primus Public School) won in the Peep Sight event, and Parshva Modi (Utpal Shanghvi Global School) triumphed in the Open Sight event.
The U-19 category saw Niharika Kabra (Neerja Modi World School) winning gold in 10m Air Rifle Peep Sight Girls, Bomin Kim (Lancers International School) in 10m Air Pistol Girls, and Urvi Deepak Salokhe (Sanjay Ghodawat International School) in 10m Air Rifle Open Sight Girls. Among the boys, Jay Tushar Donga (Mayo College) secured the 10m Air Rifle Peep Sight title, Indraneel Dattatraya Mahamuni (Vishwashanti Gurukul World School) topped the 10m Air Pistol event, and Harshwardhan Umesh Bhosale (Sanjay Ghodawat International School) won gold in 10m Air Rifle Open Sight.
Gaurav Dixit, Director of ISSO, remarked on the significance of the Nationals, stating, “Shooting instills vital qualities in young athletes, such as patience, discipline, and focus under pressure. With the impressive performances of Indian shooters at the Asian Games, events like the ISSO Shooting Nationals are crucial for nurturing talent and inspiring dreams of reaching elite levels. We appreciate Sancta Maria International School for hosting this event and providing a robust platform for students to compete and develop.”
Smriti K, Head of School at Sancta Maria International School, expressed pride in hosting the ISSO Shooting Nationals, emphasizing the school's commitment to expanding sporting opportunities for students. She noted the increasing interest among children in various sports and looked forward to supporting more initiatives for young athletes.
The Nationals underscored the rising enthusiasm for shooting among school athletes, offering participants valuable competitive experience and insight into the sport's demands at a national level.