India Set to Host Historic Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship with Olympic Quotas on the Line
India's Milestone in Shooting Sports
New Delhi: India is gearing up to host the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship next year in Delhi, a significant event that will offer eight quota spots for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This marks a groundbreaking addition to the country's shooting calendar, which already includes an Olympic qualifier at the World Cup.
In addition to the eight slots available at the Asian Championship, there will be 12 quota places up for grabs during the World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) scheduled from April 21 to 30, also taking place in Delhi.
The Asian Shooting Confederation confirmed the allocation of the Asian event in a letter addressed to Kalikesh Singh Deo, the president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
The NRAI mentioned that the specific dates for the Asian qualifier will be announced soon.
The letter expressed congratulations to the NRAI for securing the hosting rights for the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2027, where eight quota places will be available for the LA 2028 Olympics. It conveyed confidence in the NRAI's ability to organize a successful championship.
Deo shared his enthusiasm about the potential for numerous Indian shooters to secure Olympic slots through these competitions, stating, "...now they will have two events with home advantage spread across the year to win quota places... I thank the Hon. Secretary General Eng. AlOtaibi and his team at ASC for their continued trust in India's capability to host world-class shooting events."
NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh expressed pride in this achievement, noting, "This is the first time India will host two Olympic quota competitions, and we are very proud of that. We will hold the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun (April 21-30) in New Delhi and the Asian Championships at the Karni Singh Ranges."
He added that the dates for the Asian Championships will be revealed later, emphasizing the ISSF's confidence in India's ability to organize significant competitions.
Singh expressed hope that India would maximize the opportunities presented by these two events to secure as many quota places as possible.
The ISSF had previously decided not to allocate Olympic qualification slots during the Paris Olympic Games cycle, but these events have regained that status for the Los Angeles cycle.
Singh remarked, "Indian shooters will hopefully capitalize on this opportunity and aim for the maximum quota allocation of 24 places for a country, surpassing the 22 quotas they secured ahead of the Paris Games."
Delhi is also set to host this year's Asian Championships (Rifle/Pistol) starting Wednesday at the Karni Singh Ranges, with over 300 shooters from 20 countries competing across junior and senior categories.