The Olympic Games-bound Indian shooting squad could compete in European Shooting Championships this month as well as train in Europe, a coach associated with the national team said on Saturday.
“A discussion is on to find the right place for the team to train as it has already missed vital training sessions because national camp couldn’t be organised in New Delhi’s Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges owing to the Covid pandemic. There is a possibility of finalising the plan early next week,” the coach told IANS.
According to the coach, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is working out a plan to send a core group of shooters to Croatia.
“Even if the team is unable to compete in European Championships, but it will be a good place to practice,” he said.
The national team, including Olympics quota winners competed in the New Delhi World Cup in March. The national squad topped the medal tally with nine gold medals.
The core group of shooters got a short break from training and national camp was supposed to start from April 20 at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges, but it was postponed due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India.
With the lockdown in New Delhi being extended on Saturday by another week due to the growing number of Covid-19 cases in the city, it looks increasingly doubtful that Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges would be the first choice of the NRAI to prepare the shooters for the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to be held in July-August.
The national team was also to compete in the World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, from June 21 to July 2, as part of its Olympic preparation. But due to the growing number of pandemic cases the local government in Baku cancelled the competition.
