Indian shooting is all set to get into the competitive mode with the shotgun selection trials scheduled to start on Wednesday. However, Asian skeet champion Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and runner-up Mairaj Ahmad Khan have opted to skip the event.
“Both our places are confirmed in the team. So, we decided to continue with our training,” said Bajwa.
“I am not shooting the selection trials as it is not compulsory for us”, said Mairaj, who has been training at the Dr. Karni Singh Range here.
Bajwa did go through the training camp at Tughlakabad along with Mairaj for about a month before returning to his home range in Chandigarh.
“It was a nice change from training alone. A long camp gets taxing, but I kept busy by visiting the gym. Training with Mairaj pushes me to my limits,” Bajwa said.
Angad felt the need to slow down as the season could get busy with competitions after a month. The first shotgun World Cup is scheduled in Cairo from February 22.
“I hope we get the chance to travel abroad for training as that will be very crucial in our build up to the Tokyo Olympics. We need to get used to training on different ranges and conditions. Delhi is our home range and not much of a challenge,” observed Bajwa. He said shotgun was much different from rifle and pistol. “Everything changes in our sport from machines, clays, background, climate, lighting conditions, wind etc.”
Intense training
Conceding that he was already preparing for the World Cup, Bajwa added he had trained with intensity during the camp.
“I am training regularly, but we don’t know anything about competing in the World Cup in Egypt,” said Mairaj.
The rest of the skeet shooters will be shooting two sets of trials from Wednesday to book their place in the national team for the season ahead.
