India’s ace shooter and Olympian Sift Kaur Samra secured her first Asian crown by winning the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) gold medal at the ongoing 16th Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent on Tuesday (August 26). Her victory led to a stellar day for Indian shooting, with the junior shooters adding six more gold medals, along with two silvers and one bronze, to the medal tally. Despite starting in seventh place after the Kneeling position, Sift delivered a remarkable comeback. Her precision and calm under pressure, particularly in the final Standing position, saw her finish with a score of 459.2, edging out China’s Yang Yujie by 0.4 points.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/goa-to-host-fide-world-cup-2025-top-event-returns-to-india-after-23-years-king-carlsen-unlikely-to-participate-1756226463637">Goa to host FIDE World Cup 2025; top event returns to India after 23 years; King Carlsen unlikely to participate.</a>&nbsp;The turning point came during the last series, where Sift shot 10.7 and 10.8 to take the lead. Though Yang briefly overtook her with a 10.9 on the 37th shot, Sift regained the top spot and sealed the gold with a final shot of 10.0—her 11th shot in the 10s during Standing. Sift also led India to team gold in the women’s 3P event, alongside Ashi Chouksey and Anjum Moudgil, with a total score of 1753, finishing three points ahead of China. Sift had topped qualification with 589, and Ashi joined her in the final, finishing seventh.<h3>Juniors add to India's medal tally.</h3>India’s junior shooters had a golden day, sweeping several events across rifle, pistol, and shotgun categories. In the Junior Women’s 3P Rifle event, &nbsp;Anushka Thokur bagged gold with a score of 460.7, finishing five points ahead of Korea’s Sehee Oh. Mahit Sandhu and Prachi Gaikwad were placed fifth and sixth with scores of 414.7 and 413.9, respectively. The trio secured team gold with a combined score of 1758. Coming to the Junior Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, Sameer Gulia won bronze with a final score of 21. Suraj Sharma (12) and Abhinav Choudhary (4) finished fifth and sixth.&nbsp;Together, the three won the team gold with a score of 1724, with Suraj topping the qualification round. In the Junior Women’s Trap, Sabeera Haris took gold with 39 hits, narrowly beating 15-year-old Addya Katyal, who won silver with 38. Bhavya Tripathi placed sixth, and the trio combined for another team gold with a score of 324. Meanwhile, in the Junior Men’s Trap event, Aryavansh Tyagi earned silver after losing a shoot-off to Kazakhstan’s Nikita Moisseyev. Both were tied at 40 at the end of the final. Ghassan Baaklini of Lebanon took bronze. Aryavansh, Arjun (4th place), and Udhav Singh Rathore secured team gold, with Udhav shooting 106 in qualification.&nbsp;With just two events remaining — the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol and Trap mixed team — India and China are tied with six gold medals each, setting the stage for an exciting finish in the medal standings.

Asian Shooting Championship: Sift Kaur Samra shoots gold in 50m Rifle 3 Positions

India’s ace shooter and Olympian Sift Kaur Samra secured her first Asian crown by winning the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) gold medal at the ongoing 16th Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent on Tuesday (August 26). Her victory led to a stellar day for Indian shooting, with the junior shooters adding six more gold medals, along with two silvers and one bronze, to the medal tally. Despite starting in seventh place after the Kneeling position, Sift delivered a remarkable comeback. Her precision and calm under pressure, particularly in the final Standing position, saw her finish with a score of 459.2, edging out China’s Yang Yujie by 0.4 points. Also Read: Goa to host FIDE World Cup 2025; top event returns to India after 23 years; King Carlsen unlikely to participate. The turning point came during the last series, where Sift shot 10.7 and 10.8 to take the lead. Though Yang briefly overtook her with a 10.9 on the 37th shot, Sift regained the top spot and sealed the gold with a final shot of 10.0—her 11th shot in the 10s during Standing. Sift also led India to team gold in the women’s 3P event, alongside Ashi Chouksey and Anjum Moudgil, with a total score of 1753, finishing three points ahead of China. Sift had topped qualification with 589, and Ashi joined her in the final, finishing seventh. Juniors add to India's medal tally. India’s junior shooters had a golden day, sweeping several events across rifle, pistol, and shotgun categories. In the Junior Women’s 3P Rifle event, Anushka Thokur bagged gold with a score of 460.7, finishing five points ahead of Korea’s Sehee Oh. Mahit Sandhu and Prachi Gaikwad were placed fifth and sixth with scores of 414.7 and 413.9, respectively. The trio secured team gold with a combined score of 1758. Coming to the Junior Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, Sameer Gulia won bronze with a final score of 21. Suraj Sharma (12) and Abhinav Choudhary (4) finished fifth and sixth. Together, the three won the team gold with a score of 1724, with Suraj topping the qualification round. In the Junior Women’s Trap, Sabeera Haris took gold with 39 hits, narrowly beating 15-year-old Addya Katyal, who won silver with 38. Bhavya Tripathi placed sixth, and the trio combined for another team gold with a score of 324. Meanwhile, in the Junior Men’s Trap event, Aryavansh Tyagi earned silver after losing a shoot-off to Kazakhstan’s Nikita Moisseyev. Both were tied at 40 at the end of the final. Ghassan Baaklini of Lebanon took bronze. Aryavansh, Arjun (4th place), and Udhav Singh Rathore secured team gold, with Udhav shooting 106 in qualification. With just two events remaining — the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol and Trap mixed team — India and China are tied with six gold medals each, setting the stage for an exciting finish in the medal standings.

In a double delight day for India, Sift had paired up with Ashi Chouksey (586) and Anjum Moudgil (578) for the team gold in women’s 3P as well, with a total score of 1753, three clear of the Chinese team, which came in at second

Indian Olympian Anjum Moudgil clinched a silver medal in the women`s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup 2022 held in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday. She clinched the medal with a score of 406.5. "Olympian @anjum_moudgil bags at @ISSF_Shooting 2022 World Cup, Baku. Anjum clinched SILVER in women`s 50m Rifle 3 Positions with a score of 406.5 Many congratulations Champ #IndianSports #Shooting," tweeted SAI Media.

Anjum was great throughout the event before losing narrowly to Denmark`s Rikke Ibsen, who ended up with a gold medal. She fell short at 16-12 despite her best efforts. With this, India`s medal tally at the event goes to three.

Earlier, Swapnil Kusale had won the silver medal in the 50 m rifle 3P event. On the other hand, in the women`s 10m air rifle event, the team of Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita and Shreya Agrawal won a gold medal by defeating Denmark by a margin of 17-5. The world cup, which started on May 27 will go on till June 7.&nbsp;

Indian Olympian Anjum Moudgil clinched a silver medal in the women`s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup 2022 held in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday.

Indian Olympian Anjum Moudgil clinched a silver medal in the women`s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup 2022 held in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday. She clinched the medal with a score of 406.5. "Olympian @anjum_moudgil bags at @ISSF_Shooting 2022 World Cup, Baku. Anjum clinched SILVER in women`s 50m Rifle 3 Positions with a score of 406.5 Many congratulations Champ #IndianSports #Shooting," tweeted SAI Media. Anjum was great throughout the event before losing narrowly to Denmark`s Rikke Ibsen, who ended up with a gold medal. She fell short at 16-12 despite her best efforts. With this, India`s medal tally at the event goes to three. Earlier, Swapnil Kusale had won the silver medal in the 50 m rifle 3P event. On the other hand, in the women`s 10m air rifle event, the team of Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita and Shreya Agrawal won a gold medal by defeating Denmark by a margin of 17-5. The world cup, which started on May 27 will go on till June 7.

ISSF Shooting World Cup 2022: Olympian Anjum Moudgil secures silver medal

The pressure that comes along with the Olympic Games is starting to take a toll. The shooting coaches are feeling the heat in Zagreb which is the base for the Indian shooting team ahead of Tokyo2020.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A few days ago, Pavel Smirnov, India’s foreign coach in Pistol, got into an argument with a security guard posted outside the military facility where the shooting range is located. Those present there admit matters got extremely heated and a few senior coaches had to step in to defuse the situation. The guard allowed the team in but reported the matter to his superiors and the Indian team was informed that Smirnov would henceforth not be allowed to enter the facility.

Once again, the situation was defused and a truce declared with officials from the Croatian Shooting Federation playing peacemaker.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Smirnov has been prone to displaying temper tantrums and such incidents have been increasing over the last few months. However such meltdowns are surprising as he has no reason to feel the heat, his pistol shooters had an excellent showing at the ISSF World Cup in Osijek.&nbsp;

Smirnov’s compatriot Oleg Mikhailov, India’s foreign coach in rifle, though is spending long hours after training ends at the 10m range. Something feels terribly wrong and Mikhailov hasn’t been able to get to the bottom of what exactly has caused a dip in form of his top medal contenders. He has been putting Elavenil Valarivan and Divyansh Singh Panwar’s rifles through microscopic scrutiny hoping to spot a flaw which led to a poor outing in Osijek.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Elavenil Valarivan is the World No. 1 in the Women’s Air Rifle, Divyansh Panwar is the World No. 2 in the Men’s discipline. Both have been picked to shoot in the Mixed Air Rifle event in the Olympics, an event the National Rifle Association is banking on.

Panwar shot a 624.7 in qualification and finished 25th, Valarivan managed a score of 621.2 following a deduction of two points.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anyone can have a bad competition. But the warning bells start ringing when the scores drop so dramatically. The top two rifle shooters were consistently getting above 630 in training according to one of those in Zagreb. Deepak Kumar the other Air Rifle shooter in the Olympic team shot 626 while former World No. 1 Apurvi Chandela shot 624.2. Anjum Moudgil also competed in that event and had 622.3.&nbsp;&nbsp;

None of these scores is good enough for a high level of competition expected at the Olympic Games. Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela won Olympic quotas for India at the 2018 World Championships but lost form during the pandemic.

NRAI dropped Anjum Moudgil from the Air Rifle team but gave her a means of overcoming the disappointment by picking her for the mixed event while Apurvi Chandela just had the Air Rifle event to prepare for.&nbsp;

NRAI President Raninder Singh knows what an Olympic disappointment feels like. In 2016, he had to explain to the media (this writer included) why his team returned empty-handed from the Olympics.

As President of the National Rifle Association of India, he has been heavily involved in the planning of the Olympic campaign and instrumental alongside former Double Trap star Ronjan Sodhi in airlifting his team to Zagreb with training in India affected by the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Raninder Singh one learns did not waste time. He summoned the rifle coaches to a virtual meeting and told them this performance was unacceptable. Those in the know say he read the riot act, told coaches to stop mollycoddling their wards and to work together as a team and get the shooters back to their best. He had drafted a stern letter to the pistol coaches in June, asking them to put aside their differences and stop squabbling.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He also took another important step. He asked the coaches to pair Apurvi Chandela and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar to compete against the selected pairs of Elavenil Valarivan/ Divyansh Panwar and Deepak Kumar/Anjum Moudgil. Aishwary Tomar, who will shoot the Men’s Rifle 3 position event in Tokyo, caused a flutter by reaching the Men’s Air Rifle final in Croatia.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Apurvi Chandela’s form has started to pick up and the Olympian is starting to find her feet after hitting rock bottom in March at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi.

She continuously maintained that her dipping scores were a result of some changes in her kit and was backed to the hilt by the coaches. She has started to repay that faith and has started to shoot high scores in training. Apurvi Chandela and Aishwary Tomar have already started training together and the reports from Zagreb suggest the pairing has potential.&nbsp;&nbsp;

So, who makes way then? Informed sources point at Anjum Moudgil. Her confidence they say has been shattered after Elavenil Valarivan was picked in her place. Some say the decision to replace her has been made and will be announced in due course, perhaps after the team lands in Tokyo to avoid any controversy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anjum Moudgil’s lack of confidence is also attributed to poor decision-making on the part of the coaching staff. Too many changes have been made in a bid to help her regain her form. Senior shooters maintain there is a time and place for changing equipment or making technical adjustments. You do not make those changes a month ahead of the Olympics.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You also do not fix what is not broken. Divyansh Panwar’s dip in form is being attributed to an error of judgement from the coaches. A decision was made to change the trigger of his weapon a day or so ahead of the Osijek World Cup. It backfired. From shooting in the 630s, he lost the ‘feeling’ and ended up shooting below 625. He was made to do holding exercises with his gun the night before his competition. Team sources say the old trigger has been restored and the scores are on their way up again.&nbsp; But what of his confidence and self-belief?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Deepak Kumar is fighting hard to retain his spot in the Mixed Rifle team and his coach is making him go for runs in the morning in a bid to increase his stamina and endurance. Deepak Kumar had tested positive for Covid earlier this year and there are concerns that he could still be feeling the after-effects. He isn’t one to give up easily. He has been a part of the team for many years now and won a silver in the Men’s Air Rifle at the 2018 Asian Games.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There is a growing concern within the team about the lack of conditioning for the Olympics. Apurvi Chandela and Sanjeev Rajput are the only two shooters in the Rifle team with prior Olympic experience. Apurvi Chandela is drawing on her knowhow from Rio and is attempting to train for various scenarios. She struggled for sleep the night before her competition in Rio, disturbed by those coming back from the opening ceremony. Women’s Air Rifle is again scheduled for the first day of the Games. On a couple of occasions already, she has dragged herself to training, after staying awake entire nights.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker and her current coach Ronak Pandit have already started to set their alarm clocks to 5.00 a.m. and hope to further attune their body clock to the Tokyo time zone over the next 10 days.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Yet, not everyone is on the same page, busy as they are trying to get a grip on what is going wrong. There has been a suggestion to have a few days of quarantine training before departure on July 16 where the shooters will be confined to their rooms through the day barring a few hours of controlled match situations. There is a possibility that such a situation could arise in Tokyo but no formal decision has been made yet to go down this route.

(Digvijay Singh Deo is Sports Editor, WION and has covered the sport of Shooting from 2003)&nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

The pressure that comes along with the Olympic Games is starting to take a toll. The shooting coaches are feeling the heat in Zagreb which is the base for the Indian shooting team ahead of Tokyo2020.

The pressure that comes along with the Olympic Games is starting to take a toll. The shooting coaches are feeling the heat in Zagreb which is the base for the Indian shooting team ahead of Tokyo2020. A few days ago, Pavel Smirnov, India’s foreign coach in Pistol, got into an argument with a security guard posted outside the military facility where the shooting range is located. Those present there admit matters got extremely heated and a few senior coaches had to step in to defuse the situation. The guard allowed the team in but reported the matter to his superiors and the Indian team was informed that Smirnov would henceforth not be allowed to enter the facility. Once again, the situation was defused and a truce declared with officials from the Croatian Shooting Federation playing peacemaker. Smirnov has been prone to displaying temper tantrums and such incidents have been increasing over the last few months. However such meltdowns are surprising as he has no reason to feel the heat, his pistol shooters had an excellent showing at the ISSF World Cup in Osijek. Smirnov’s compatriot Oleg Mikhailov, India’s foreign coach in rifle, though is spending long hours after training ends at the 10m range. Something feels terribly wrong and Mikhailov hasn’t been able to get to the bottom of what exactly has caused a dip in form of his top medal contenders. He has been putting Elavenil Valarivan and Divyansh Singh Panwar’s rifles through microscopic scrutiny hoping to spot a flaw which led to a poor outing in Osijek. Elavenil Valarivan is the World No. 1 in the Women’s Air Rifle, Divyansh Panwar is the World No. 2 in the Men’s discipline. Both have been picked to shoot in the Mixed Air Rifle event in the Olympics, an event the National Rifle Association is banking on. Panwar shot a 624.7 in qualification and finished 25th, Valarivan managed a score of 621.2 following a deduction of two points. Anyone can have a bad competition. But the warning bells start ringing when the scores drop so dramatically. The top two rifle shooters were consistently getting above 630 in training according to one of those in Zagreb. Deepak Kumar the other Air Rifle shooter in the Olympic team shot 626 while former World No. 1 Apurvi Chandela shot 624.2. Anjum Moudgil also competed in that event and had 622.3. None of these scores is good enough for a high level of competition expected at the Olympic Games. Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela won Olympic quotas for India at the 2018 World Championships but lost form during the pandemic. NRAI dropped Anjum Moudgil from the Air Rifle team but gave her a means of overcoming the disappointment by picking her for the mixed event while Apurvi Chandela just had the Air Rifle event to prepare for. NRAI President Raninder Singh knows what an Olympic disappointment feels like. In 2016, he had to explain to the media (this writer included) why his team returned empty-handed from the Olympics. As President of the National Rifle Association of India, he has been heavily involved in the planning of the Olympic campaign and instrumental alongside former Double Trap star Ronjan Sodhi in airlifting his team to Zagreb with training in India affected by the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Raninder Singh one learns did not waste time. He summoned the rifle coaches to a virtual meeting and told them this performance was unacceptable. Those in the know say he read the riot act, told coaches to stop mollycoddling their wards and to work together as a team and get the shooters back to their best. He had drafted a stern letter to the pistol coaches in June, asking them to put aside their differences and stop squabbling. He also took another important step. He asked the coaches to pair Apurvi Chandela and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar to compete against the selected pairs of Elavenil Valarivan/ Divyansh Panwar and Deepak Kumar/Anjum Moudgil. Aishwary Tomar, who will shoot the Men’s Rifle 3 position event in Tokyo, caused a flutter by reaching the Men’s Air Rifle final in Croatia. Apurvi Chandela’s form has started to pick up and the Olympian is starting to find her feet after hitting rock bottom in March at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi. She continuously maintained that her dipping scores were a result of some changes in her kit and was backed to the hilt by the coaches. She has started to repay that faith and has started to shoot high scores in training. Apurvi Chandela and Aishwary Tomar have already started training together and the reports from Zagreb suggest the pairing has potential. So, who makes way then? Informed sources point at Anjum Moudgil. Her confidence they say has been shattered after Elavenil Valarivan was picked in her place. Some say the decision to replace her has been made and will be announced in due course, perhaps after the team lands in Tokyo to avoid any controversy. Anjum Moudgil’s lack of confidence is also attributed to poor decision-making on the part of the coaching staff. Too many changes have been made in a bid to help her regain her form. Senior shooters maintain there is a time and place for changing equipment or making technical adjustments. You do not make those changes a month ahead of the Olympics. You also do not fix what is not broken. Divyansh Panwar’s dip in form is being attributed to an error of judgement from the coaches. A decision was made to change the trigger of his weapon a day or so ahead of the Osijek World Cup. It backfired. From shooting in the 630s, he lost the ‘feeling’ and ended up shooting below 625. He was made to do holding exercises with his gun the night before his competition. Team sources say the old trigger has been restored and the scores are on their way up again. But what of his confidence and self-belief? Deepak Kumar is fighting hard to retain his spot in the Mixed Rifle team and his coach is making him go for runs in the morning in a bid to increase his stamina and endurance. Deepak Kumar had tested positive for Covid earlier this year and there are concerns that he could still be feeling the after-effects. He isn’t one to give up easily. He has been a part of the team for many years now and won a silver in the Men’s Air Rifle at the 2018 Asian Games. There is a growing concern within the team about the lack of conditioning for the Olympics. Apurvi Chandela and Sanjeev Rajput are the only two shooters in the Rifle team with prior Olympic experience. Apurvi Chandela is drawing on her knowhow from Rio and is attempting to train for various scenarios. She struggled for sleep the night before her competition in Rio, disturbed by those coming back from the opening ceremony. Women’s Air Rifle is again scheduled for the first day of the Games. On a couple of occasions already, she has dragged herself to training, after staying awake entire nights. Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker and her current coach Ronak Pandit have already started to set their alarm clocks to 5.00 a.m. and hope to further attune their body clock to the Tokyo time zone over the next 10 days. Yet, not everyone is on the same page, busy as they are trying to get a grip on what is going wrong. There has been a suggestion to have a few days of quarantine training before departure on July 16 where the shooters will be confined to their rooms through the day barring a few hours of controlled match situations. There is a possibility that such a situation could arise in Tokyo but no formal decision has been made yet to go down this route. (Digvijay Singh Deo is Sports Editor, WION and has covered the sport of Shooting from 2003) (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion | Pre-Olympic jitters for Indian shooting

The Olympics have been pushed back by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and the world is in lockdown. some Olympic hopefuls continue training in the confines of their houses and they have taken to social media to give us a glimpse of their lives during this period. shooter Anjum Moudgil was the first Indian to qualify for the 2020 Olympics and she is pursuing various activities during these times. from paining, to dancing to juggling to even editing videos and uploading on Instagram. Take a look

Watch how Anjum Moudgil is staying positive during the lockdown

Ace shooter Anjum Moudgil was one of the first to seal qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics back in 2018. Everything was going as per the plan before the situation surrounding COVID-19 started to turn around. Eventually, India and almost the entire world was in lockdown due to the pandemic which forced the International Olympic Committee to postpone the quadrennial event by a year.

The Tokyo Olympics will now open on July 23, 2021, with the closing ceremony scheduled to be held on August 8, 2021. Hence, the wait to battle it out in the grandest stage of all was extended not only for Anjum but for every other athlete who had qualified for the Games or were favourites to do so.

In an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, Anjum Moudgil spoke about a lot of things ranging from her qualification in 2018, the decision to postpone the Olympics, how she is dealing with the 21-day lockdown period and much more.

Anjum bagged her Olympics qualification back in 2018 but since then it has been a waiting game for her as she continued to participate in selection trials and ISSF World Cups to maintain her rankings. Anjum termed the waiting game as a ‘bit strange’ while adding the extra 15 months can be positive for athletes as it gives more time for preparation.&nbsp;

“I think the decision was right to postpone the games, but it has been a really long time since we qualified so it is a bit strange. We have about 15 months to go for the games which give us more time for preparation which can be a positive thing,” Anjum told WION.

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“I can't go out and train right now so at home I’m focusing more on my physical training, I’m working out properly. So I’m using this period very well to focus on my physical and mental well-being, also get to spend time with my family, so I’m adapting very well.”

<img alt="Anjum Moudgil" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="809f539a-baf6-4154-828d-844d6f393ad4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_13Z3TE.jpg" />

There was a lot of talk surrounding the postponement or cancellation of the Games before it was officially announced that the quadrennial event will be delayed by a year due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The move to postpone the Games has been well received by the athletes and sporting federations, and Anjum echoes the same thought as she said that outdoor training wasn’t possible during the lockdown and moving the Games by a year was a good move. The two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist further said that she will now draw a fresh plan with her coach and wait for the ISSF to announce the tournament schedule.&nbsp;

“I was happy that the Games were postponed, everyone was stressed given the uncertainty surrounding the games. Given the fact that every sport needs outdoor training for preparation, which of course wasn't possible during the lockdown, the decision to postpone the Games was the right one.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-i-saw-it-coming-apurvi-chandela-opens-up-on-tokyo-olympics-postponement-and-life-in-lockdown-289643" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'I saw it coming' - Apurvi Chandela opens up on Tokyo Olympics postponement and life in lockdown</a>

“But now all the International federations and National Olympic Committees need to rework their calendar and go back to the drawing board. So I think it's more work for the authorities rather than the athletes. We athletes will continue to practice and work on our physical health, which is our job. I will draw up a plan with my coach and wait for the ISSF to announce the tournament schedule so that i can prepare a detailed plan leading up to the games,” Anjum explained.

However, a bigger test for all the competing athletes is that they are not able to train outdoors during the lockdown. All the training is limited to their residences and personal gyms. Anjum said that there’s a sense of uncertainty surrounding the fixtures while adding everyone is on the same boat given the current situation with novel coronavirus.

“Even though the games have been postponed, we don't know when we will play our first tournament- it might be June, July, September or even later than that. It all depends on the state of the disease.

<img alt="Anjum Moudgil" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f15171d3-10bc-45d9-9a11-3ad8b735c442" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_13Z4AB.jpg" />

“So it’s very uncertain, all we can do is hope for the best but it’s also impossible to predict anything right now. It’s not just us athletes, everyone is in the same boat right now. The fact that we will wait for so long for the next tournament will only add on to our experience as athletes. I hope everyone is safe till then and whenever the time comes they are ready to compete. The uncertain times are affecting the athletes mentally as well, but there is no option as the lockdown is mandatory for everyone. So we have to adapt and cope with it, there is no other option,” Anjum said.

Anjum is now enjoying being at home and spending time with her family. Painting and reading books on body muscles are keeping Anjum busy during the 21-day lockdown phase.&nbsp;

“I'm very happy being at home, have been spending time with my family. I live in joint family so there are about 10 people in the house which is great. No one is going gout obviously and we are taking necessary precautions. I have more time to paint, which is something i always wanted to do. I'm learning how to dance from my cousin and how to juggle from my brother. I'm also learning about the various muscles in the body, which will help me when I’m at the physio the next time to explain the problem.

“Like I said before I've been working out and also sharing videos on social media. I'm just trying to stay positive as much as i can. I see other athletes and they are a bit down because of the lockdown. But this is something that's not in our control, so i feel we should make the best use of this time, posting videos and trying to stay upbeat,” she said. 
&nbsp;

Ace shooter Anjum Moudgil was one of the first to seal qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics back in 2018. Everything was going as per the plan before the situation surrounding COVID-19 started to turn around.

Ace shooter Anjum Moudgil was one of the first to seal qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics back in 2018. Everything was going as per the plan before the situation surrounding COVID-19 started to turn around. Eventually, India and almost the entire world was in lockdown due to the pandemic which forced the International Olympic Committee to postpone the quadrennial event by a year. The Tokyo Olympics will now open on July 23, 2021, with the closing ceremony scheduled to be held on August 8, 2021. Hence, the wait to battle it out in the grandest stage of all was extended not only for Anjum but for every other athlete who had qualified for the Games or were favourites to do so. In an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, Anjum Moudgil spoke about a lot of things ranging from her qualification in 2018, the decision to postpone the Olympics, how she is dealing with the 21-day lockdown period and much more. Anjum bagged her Olympics qualification back in 2018 but since then it has been a waiting game for her as she continued to participate in selection trials and ISSF World Cups to maintain her rankings. Anjum termed the waiting game as a ‘bit strange’ while adding the extra 15 months can be positive for athletes as it gives more time for preparation. “I think the decision was right to postpone the games, but it has been a really long time since we qualified so it is a bit strange. We have about 15 months to go for the games which give us more time for preparation which can be a positive thing,” Anjum told WION. × ALSO READ: Exclusive: Abhinav Bindra opens up on Tokyo Olympics, athletes' preparation and much more “I can't go out and train right now so at home I’m focusing more on my physical training, I’m working out properly. So I’m using this period very well to focus on my physical and mental well-being, also get to spend time with my family, so I’m adapting very well.” There was a lot of talk surrounding the postponement or cancellation of the Games before it was officially announced that the quadrennial event will be delayed by a year due to COVID-19 pandemic. The move to postpone the Games has been well received by the athletes and sporting federations, and Anjum echoes the same thought as she said that outdoor training wasn’t possible during the lockdown and moving the Games by a year was a good move. The two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist further said that she will now draw a fresh plan with her coach and wait for the ISSF to announce the tournament schedule. “I was happy that the Games were postponed, everyone was stressed given the uncertainty surrounding the games. Given the fact that every sport needs outdoor training for preparation, which of course wasn't possible during the lockdown, the decision to postpone the Games was the right one. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'I saw it coming' - Apurvi Chandela opens up on Tokyo Olympics postponement and life in lockdown “But now all the International federations and National Olympic Committees need to rework their calendar and go back to the drawing board. So I think it's more work for the authorities rather than the athletes. We athletes will continue to practice and work on our physical health, which is our job. I will draw up a plan with my coach and wait for the ISSF to announce the tournament schedule so that i can prepare a detailed plan leading up to the games,” Anjum explained. However, a bigger test for all the competing athletes is that they are not able to train outdoors during the lockdown. All the training is limited to their residences and personal gyms. Anjum said that there’s a sense of uncertainty surrounding the fixtures while adding everyone is on the same boat given the current situation with novel coronavirus. “Even though the games have been postponed, we don't know when we will play our first tournament- it might be June, July, September or even later than that. It all depends on the state of the disease. “So it’s very uncertain, all we can do is hope for the best but it’s also impossible to predict anything right now. It’s not just us athletes, everyone is in the same boat right now. The fact that we will wait for so long for the next tournament will only add on to our experience as athletes. I hope everyone is safe till then and whenever the time comes they are ready to compete. The uncertain times are affecting the athletes mentally as well, but there is no option as the lockdown is mandatory for everyone. So we have to adapt and cope with it, there is no other option,” Anjum said. Anjum is now enjoying being at home and spending time with her family. Painting and reading books on body muscles are keeping Anjum busy during the 21-day lockdown phase. “I'm very happy being at home, have been spending time with my family. I live in joint family so there are about 10 people in the house which is great. No one is going gout obviously and we are taking necessary precautions. I have more time to paint, which is something i always wanted to do. I'm learning how to dance from my cousin and how to juggle from my brother. I'm also learning about the various muscles in the body, which will help me when I’m at the physio the next time to explain the problem. “Like I said before I've been working out and also sharing videos on social media. I'm just trying to stay positive as much as i can. I see other athletes and they are a bit down because of the lockdown. But this is something that's not in our control, so i feel we should make the best use of this time, posting videos and trying to stay upbeat,” she said.

Exclusive: 'Decision to postpone the Games was right' - Anjum Moudgil on Tokyo Olympics deferral

With the Tokyo Olympics delayed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the waiting game for the athletes who have qualified for the quadrennial event has just stretched.

With the Tokyo Olympics delayed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the waiting game for the athletes who have qualified for the quadrennial event has just stretched. The Games will now open on July 23, 2021, with the closing ceremony scheduled for August 8, 2021. The decision to postpone the Olympics comes with massive ramifications but it was the correct call given the current situation surrounding the novel coronavirus worldwide. One of the first athletes to have qualified for Tokyo Olympics and ace Indian shooter, Anjum Moudgil, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from IOC's decision to postpone the Games, unable to train outdoors due to lockdown, shooting training at home, painting and much more. × Digvijay Singh Deo: Anjum thanks for joining me. 3 years to compete at the Olympics, that’s the longest wait any sportsperson has had in the history of the Olympics since the quotas were introduced, that’s a bit of personal record for you and Apurvi Chandela Anjum Moudgil: I think the decision was right to postpone the games, but it has been a really long time since we qualified so it is a bit strange. We have about 15 months to go for the games which give us more time for preparation which can be a positive thing. I can't go out and train right now so at home, I’m focusing more on my physical training, I’m working out properly. So I’m using this period very well to focus on my physical and mental well-being, also get to spend time with my family, so I’m adapting very well. DSD: How did you react to the news of the Olympics getting postponed? Was it a relief or was it oh god another 12 months? AM: I was happy that the games were postponed, everyone was stressed given the uncertainty surrounding the games. Given the fact that every sport needs outdoor training for preparation, which of course wasn't possible during the lockdown, the decision to postpone the games was the right one but now all the international federations and national Olympic committees need to rework their calendar and go back to the drawing board. So I think it's more work for the authorities rather than the athletes. We athletes will continue to practice and work on our physical health, which is our job. I will draw up a plan with my coach and wait for the ISSF to announce the tournament schedule so that I can prepare a detailed plan leading up to the games. DSD: But the uncertainty remains doesn’t it. You do not know when the shooting calendar will resume. Even when it does it will be quite a difficult phase for everyone as there has been no competition for the first half of 2020 and training scores do not always get replicated during competition. AM: Even though the games have been postponed, we don't know when we will play our first tournament- it might be June, July, September or even later than that. It all depends on the state of the pandemic. So it’s very uncertain, all we can do is hope for the best but it’s also impossible to predict anything right now. It’s not just us athletes, everyone is in the same boat right now. The fact that we will wait for so long for the next tournament will only add on to our experience as athletes. I hope everyone is safe till then and whenever the time comes they are ready to compete. The uncertain times are affecting the athletes mentally as well, but there is no option as the lockdown is mandatory for everyone. So we have to adapt and cope with it, there is no other option DSD: Just to get a sense of what the preparatory period is like for an elite Olympic bound sportsperson tell us what has changed in you since you won the Olympic quota for India. Was it more discipline, more training? AM: Surely a lot has changed since securing a quota place in the air rifle, but since then I have never felt extra pressure to secure a quote in three positions event. I have trained equally hard for both events and in fact, three positions are considered my main event. I really feel I belong there and sometimes feel like I own the event, have a lot of confidence in myself. In air rifle, I have started training more in the last two years, to get to know the weaknesses I have. I didn't get the chance to compete in three positions as was concentrating more on air rifle, but that has helped me and it's been a new experience. It's changed my perspective on the two events, but not my work ethic. Results vary for me, especially in terms of scores but I keep putting in the hard work. DSD: Here I must add that the quota belongs to the country and not to a shooter, so there has been a period of trials as well to ensure you stay ahead of the competition, do more competitions translate to more stress? Have you in those last two years thought about losing the spot after a bad competition. Shooting is a very mental sport and thoughts like these are bound to crop up somewhere? AM: Yes it is a little bit of extra pressure since everyone is shooting so well. It’s not a guarantee that whosoever secures the quota spot will get a chance to be a part of the team, but that's where the mental aspect of the athletes comes into play, we have to focus on our own performance rather than team selection. Our job at the range is to go out and do our best, that is under our control. There might be some pressure to produce a certain score, but I try to ignore it. I never prepare myself to beat someone else or see the rankings before a tournament, I just go out and do my best, whatever else happens, I will accept it. DSD: We are seeing social media posts be it on twitter, be it on Instagram of sportspersons trying to stay fit and keep training. What have you been up to in the lockdown? AM: I’m very happy being at home, I have been spending time with my family. I live in a joint family so there are about 10 people in the house which is great. No one is going out obviously and we are taking necessary precautions. I have more time to paint, which is something I always wanted to do. I'm learning how to dance from my cousin and how to juggle from my brother. I'm also learning about the various muscles in the body, which will help me when I’m at the physio the next time to explain the problem. Like I said before I’ve been working out and also sharing videos on social media. I'm just trying to stay positive as much as I can. I see other athletes and they are a bit down because of the lockdown. But this is something that's not in our control, so I feel we should make the best use of this time, posting videos and trying to stay upbeat. View this post on Instagram When you are missing that long run outdoors , its better to Skip instead and stay at home . Urge you all to take it up as well especially during the time of this challenge when we fight together with Corona Rope skipping , helps build your endurance, stamina, muscles with regular practice / something that can be done easily indoors and at home. you may just start with #1 minute and increase gradually as per your capacity # Don’t skip to Rope Skip # SkipKarona # HumFitTohIndiaFit #stayfit #stayhome #olympics #staystrong #stayhealthy @olympicchannel @olympics A post shared by Anjum Moudgil (@anjum_moudgil) on Mar 24, 2020 at 5:08am PDT × DSD: You mentioned painting so I’m going to expand on that. You love painting and whenever you are travelling for competitions you always slip in your canvas and paints and brushes. Now that you are at home are you swamped by orders from your teammates? AM: Now that I’m home I’m getting more orders from teammates for paintings that they had asked me to do a while back. And since I’m at home and not travelling I can complete it. I've always wanted to have a good number of paintings at home so that I can hold an exhibition if I want to. I've always wanted to hold an exhibition of my artwork and I have all the art supplies at homes so that might be possible now. I'm also thinking of selling some of my paintings online to raise money for those people in need during these tough times. I've already donated some money to a friend who also is employed by the Punjab police and who is helping distribute food to the underprivileged and hopefully, I’ll be able to do more in the near future. View this post on Instagram Wear black and be colorful! 🤟🏼 . . This Handpainted Buddha and my painted rifle are my favourite piece Of art till date .. #weaponart #buddha #Black #painting #abstract #anjummoudgil A post shared by Anjum Moudgil (@anjum_moudgil) on Feb 20, 2020 at 7:13am PST × DSD: Some in your shooting fraternity have built small shooting ranges at home and can still train. Are you able to train at home? AM: I had planned a break after the scheduled Delhi World Cup (which was called off in the first week of March) because I had a very busy season in January, February and March. So that 10-day break just got over and I’ve started training today, am focusing on dry shooting right now for both my events. I earlier didn't have a training facility at home in Chandigarh as I was not here most of the time and the shooting range is very near to my house. But now that I’m going to be home, my father and I have built a temporary target. He and I do a lot of woodwork, so we have set up that range for me to train here. View this post on Instagram Things I am doing at Home to Stay Active at this time , when everyone is required to be responsible and be at home and be safe from Covid-19. #StayActive @olympics @olympicchannel @gosportsvoices @tokyo2020 #tokyo2020ne #StayActive @media.iccsai @officialnrai @officialkheloindia @issf_official @maggsway5 A post shared by Anjum Moudgil (@anjum_moudgil) on Mar 28, 2020 at 3:30am PDT × DSD: For the benefit of our readers and viewers can you explain what dry training is all about? AM: Dry training is basically replicating everything that you do in a shooting range, except actually releasing the shot. Every action will be the same, even pulling the trigger but the shot will not be released. Muscle memory is very important for us shooters and this is a great exercise. Also shooting at home can be unsafe since we have to make sure that no one is in the vicinity before we take the shot. DSD: Are you in touch with your shooting teammates during this lockdown period. The Indian team had a very hectic schedule in 2019 and those you who qualified for the Olympics barely had an offseason as you continued to train for the games. Is this break actually good for all of you to recharge your batteries? AM: I haven't been in touch with the shooters that secured the quota, but the ones that I have spoken to are all happy to have this break. I am certainly happy to be at home, spending time with my family, it really has helped me recharge my batteries since I am not at home that often in Chandigarh, I’m usually in Delhi. It's great that I can have home-cooked food, I even cooked a meal yesterday myself. So I can do pretty much whatever I want which is great. I even made a video with all the Indian shooters to show our unity and spirit in these tough times, I’ve uploaded that to Instagram and it turned out to be pretty good. View this post on Instagram We are in this together . #teamindia #shootingindia Our prayers are with the people affected and we hope for quick recovery for everyone worldwide. We are thankful to the Doctors, staff, Police and every citizen working to make this virus stop from spreading. We are being responsible, practice at home and follow necessary precautions required. Do your bit too. #stayactive #covid_19 #india #staysafe #staystrong A post shared by Anjum Moudgil (@anjum_moudgil) on Mar 28, 2020 at 11:50pm PDT ×

Exclusive: Anjum Moudgil opens up on Olympics postponement, life in lockdown, love for painting and much more

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has nominated ace shooter Anjum Moudgil for the Khel Ratna -- the country's highest sporting honour -- while recommending Jaspal Rana for the Dronacharya Award for the second year in a row.

Moudgil, the 26-year-old rifle ace who started shooting in 2008, is among the first two Indians to have secured quota places for the Tokyo Olympics.

The NRAI on Thursday said it will be sending the Sports Ministry the names of champion pistol shooters Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker and promising rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan for the prestigious Arjuna Award.

Bhaker and Valarivan's names were added to the list on Thursday, according to federation sources.

NRAI President Raninder Singh said in a statement, "Our shooters had an outstanding last season and it was a particularly difficult selection to make this time around.

"I wish all those recommended all the very best and hope those who could not make it this year, force us to do so next time around with their performances.

"I believe all are equally talented and will certainly reap rich awards if they carry on the way they have." 
Bhaker and Valarivan's names were added to the list on Thursday.

"Anjum Moudgil has been nominated for Khel Ratna while the NRAI has again send Jaspal's name for Dronacharya. They have always believed that he deserves it and are hoping he gets it this time," a federation source had told PTI earlier in the day.

"Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker and Elavenil have been recommended for Arjuna."

Moudgil, the shooter from Chandigarh earned the quota in the 10m Air Rifle event when she won the silver medal in the ISSF World Cup in Korea in 2008.

Last year, Moudgil paired up with Divyansh Singh Panwar to claim the 10m Air Rifle mixed team gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Munich and Beijing.

She also reached the final in the 10m Air Rifle event in the ISSF World Cup in Munich and Rio de Janeiro.

Last December, Moudgil won the title in the women's 50m 3P event at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal.

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award carries a medallion, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Rana's exclusion last year snowballed into a big controversy after India's only individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra criticised the selection panel for not finalising the seasoned coach for the Dronacharya Award.

The 43-year-old Rana, a multiple Asian Games gold-medallist marksman, is credited to have groomed the likes of teen sensations Bhaker, Saurabh and Anish Bhanwala into world-class shooters.

Ignored last time despite being the man behind the young shooters' smashing success in recent years, Rana is hoping that the selection is "fair" and the most deserving candidate is recognised.

Dronacharya awards are given to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams and enabled them to achieve outstanding results in international competitions.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.

The 30-year-old Verma, an engineer-turned-lawyer-turned-shooter secured India's fifth Olympic quota place in the sport, winning the 10m air pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Beijing last April.

Two months before that, unfazed by a field comprising some seasoned campaigners, teenager Chaudhary smashed the world record to win gold in the season's first World Cup and the country's third quota.

In the beginning of this year, Youth Olympics and Asian Games champion Chaudhary stamped his class again to win the 10m air pistol gold at the Bhopal Nationals, where Verma bagged bronze.

Verma now boasts of two World Cup gold medals, an Asian Games bronze, and an Olympic quota place.

Through last year, he also developed a great rivalry with Chaudhary as the 16-year-old grabbed the gold medals at the other two World Cups in New Delhi and Munich.

The 18-year-old Bhaker, a Youth Olympics and Commonwealth Games champion, has won a plethora of medals, including gold, in top international events in the last three years.

Remarkably enough, the teenager from Haryana shone bright in her maiden senior appearance at the ISSF World Cup, winning an individual as well a mixed gold medal in Mexico in 2018.

Like some of her compatriots, the supremely-gifted Bhaker is considered destined for bigger things and is preparing hard for the Olympics.

No less inspiring has been the rise of Valarivan, who shot her way to the women's 10m air rifle gold medal in the prestigious World Cup Final in China last year, her biggest triumph in what has been a terrific career so far.

The shooter is mentored by Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang.

Besides, the 20-year-old from Tamil Nadu finished on top of the podium at the Rio de Janeiro World Cup last year and claimed a silver at the 2018 World Championship in Changwon, South Korea.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has nominated ace shooter Anjum Moudgil for the Khel Ratna -- the country's highest sporting honour -- while recommending Jaspal Rana for the Dronacharya Award for the second year in a row.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has nominated ace shooter Anjum Moudgil for the Khel Ratna -- the country's highest sporting honour -- while recommending Jaspal Rana for the Dronacharya Award for the second year in a row. Moudgil, the 26-year-old rifle ace who started shooting in 2008, is among the first two Indians to have secured quota places for the Tokyo Olympics. The NRAI on Thursday said it will be sending the Sports Ministry the names of champion pistol shooters Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker and promising rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan for the prestigious Arjuna Award. Bhaker and Valarivan's names were added to the list on Thursday, according to federation sources. NRAI President Raninder Singh said in a statement, "Our shooters had an outstanding last season and it was a particularly difficult selection to make this time around. "I wish all those recommended all the very best and hope those who could not make it this year, force us to do so next time around with their performances. "I believe all are equally talented and will certainly reap rich awards if they carry on the way they have." Bhaker and Valarivan's names were added to the list on Thursday. "Anjum Moudgil has been nominated for Khel Ratna while the NRAI has again send Jaspal's name for Dronacharya. They have always believed that he deserves it and are hoping he gets it this time," a federation source had told PTI earlier in the day. "Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker and Elavenil have been recommended for Arjuna." Moudgil, the shooter from Chandigarh earned the quota in the 10m Air Rifle event when she won the silver medal in the ISSF World Cup in Korea in 2008. Last year, Moudgil paired up with Divyansh Singh Panwar to claim the 10m Air Rifle mixed team gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Munich and Beijing. She also reached the final in the 10m Air Rifle event in the ISSF World Cup in Munich and Rio de Janeiro. Last December, Moudgil won the title in the women's 50m 3P event at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award carries a medallion, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh. Rana's exclusion last year snowballed into a big controversy after India's only individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra criticised the selection panel for not finalising the seasoned coach for the Dronacharya Award. The 43-year-old Rana, a multiple Asian Games gold-medallist marksman, is credited to have groomed the likes of teen sensations Bhaker, Saurabh and Anish Bhanwala into world-class shooters. Ignored last time despite being the man behind the young shooters' smashing success in recent years, Rana is hoping that the selection is "fair" and the most deserving candidate is recognised. Dronacharya awards are given to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams and enabled them to achieve outstanding results in international competitions. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. The 30-year-old Verma, an engineer-turned-lawyer-turned-shooter secured India's fifth Olympic quota place in the sport, winning the 10m air pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Beijing last April. Two months before that, unfazed by a field comprising some seasoned campaigners, teenager Chaudhary smashed the world record to win gold in the season's first World Cup and the country's third quota. In the beginning of this year, Youth Olympics and Asian Games champion Chaudhary stamped his class again to win the 10m air pistol gold at the Bhopal Nationals, where Verma bagged bronze. Verma now boasts of two World Cup gold medals, an Asian Games bronze, and an Olympic quota place. Through last year, he also developed a great rivalry with Chaudhary as the 16-year-old grabbed the gold medals at the other two World Cups in New Delhi and Munich. The 18-year-old Bhaker, a Youth Olympics and Commonwealth Games champion, has won a plethora of medals, including gold, in top international events in the last three years. Remarkably enough, the teenager from Haryana shone bright in her maiden senior appearance at the ISSF World Cup, winning an individual as well a mixed gold medal in Mexico in 2018. Like some of her compatriots, the supremely-gifted Bhaker is considered destined for bigger things and is preparing hard for the Olympics. No less inspiring has been the rise of Valarivan, who shot her way to the women's 10m air rifle gold medal in the prestigious World Cup Final in China last year, her biggest triumph in what has been a terrific career so far. The shooter is mentored by Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang. Besides, the 20-year-old from Tamil Nadu finished on top of the podium at the Rio de Janeiro World Cup last year and claimed a silver at the 2018 World Championship in Changwon, South Korea.

NRAI nominates Anjum Moudgil for Khel Ratna, Jaspal for Dronacharya Award

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/commonwealth-games-indian-athletes-rakesh-babu-irfan-kolothum-removed-from-games-village-over-breach-of-no-needle-policy-130166">Rakesh Babu, Irfan Kolothum removed from Commonwealth Games over breach of 'no needle policy'</a>

Two Indian athletes, Irfan Kolothum Thodi and Rakesh Babu, were on Friday asked to leave the Commonwealth Games (CWG) immediately over breach of "no needle policy".

"Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi are in breach of the No Needle Policy after they failed to ensure compliance with the no needle policy and, in particular, failed to ensure compliance with paragraphs I, II, III and IV of the no needle policy," a Commonwealth Games Federation(CGF) statement said.

Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi were not permitted to participate in the Commonwealth Games "with immediate effect".

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/commonwealth-games-after-silver-shooter-tejaswini-sawant-wins-gold-130171">Commonwealth Games: After silver, shooter Tejaswini Sawant wins gold in 50m Rifle 3 Positions</a>

Shooter Tejaswini Sawant who won the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games(CWG) on Thursday, today clinched the coveted gold medal in the women's 50 meters Rifle 3 Positions.

Anjum Moudgil won the silver in the same event.&nbsp;

Sawant's gold medal ensured India bagging 15 golds at the CWG equalling the country's 2014 gold medal tally at Glasgow.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/unnao-rape-case-cbi-detains-main-accused-bjp-mla-kuldeep-singh-senger-130161">Watch: CBI detains Unnao rape case accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger</a>

The CBI on Thursday night detained BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger the main accused in the gang rape of a minor in Unnao.

ANI sources said CBI had registered 3 cases against Sengar.

The police had registered cases against the BJP MLA under various sections of IPC and provisions of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.&nbsp;

The MLA has been booked under IPC sections &nbsp;376 (rape), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her for marriage,), 363 (kidnapping) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/those-who-are-here-to-push-people-must-go-home-priyanka-vadra-at-midnight-march-130163">Watch: Those who push people must go home, says Priyanka Vadra at midnight march</a>

Congress President Rahul Gandhi led a midnight protest on Thursday against the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes at the capital's India Gate.&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi's sister Priyanka Vadra, who was also present along with her husband Robert Vadra, was pushed by some people in the chaotic crowd. A visibly angry Priyanka asked people to maintain calm and think about the cause for which they had assembled there.

"Nobody will push each other. You should know the reason for which you are here. If you cannot behave go home. Now, all of you will silently walk till there," said Priyanka. 
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WATCH: Priyanka Gandhi gets angry at the candlelight march, says 'Nobody will push each other. You should know the reason for which you are here. If you cannot behave go home. Now, all of you will silently walk till there' <a href="https://t.co/Hlu9cSKOJG">pic.twitter.com/Hlu9cSKOJG</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/984515031621668864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/president-trump-has-asked-trade-advisors-to-rejoin-trans-pacific-partnership-white-house--130170">President Trump has asked trade advisors to rejoin Trans-Pacific Partnership: White House</a>

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said today President Trump has asked trade advisors to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership(TTP) which the US had pulled out from last year.

Republican senators met with Trump on Thursday and he told them that he has asked United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow to re-open negotiations, Reuters reported.

"The president has consistently said he would be open to a substantially better deal, including in his speech in Davos earlier this year," White House spokeswoman Walters said.

Rakesh Babu, Irfan Kolothum removed from Commonwealth Games over breach of 'no needle policy' Two Indian athletes, Irfan Kolothum Thodi and Rakesh Babu, were on Friday asked to leave the Commonwealth Games (CWG) immediately over breach of "no needle policy". "Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi are in breach of the No Needle Policy after they failed to ensure compliance with the no needle policy and, in particular, failed to ensure compliance with paragraphs I, II, III and IV of the no needle policy," a Commonwealth Games Federation(CGF) statement said. Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi were not permitted to participate in the Commonwealth Games "with immediate effect". Commonwealth Games: After silver, shooter Tejaswini Sawant wins gold in 50m Rifle 3 Positions Shooter Tejaswini Sawant who won the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games(CWG) on Thursday, today clinched the coveted gold medal in the women's 50 meters Rifle 3 Positions. Anjum Moudgil won the silver in the same event. Sawant's gold medal ensured India bagging 15 golds at the CWG equalling the country's 2014 gold medal tally at Glasgow. Watch: CBI detains Unnao rape case accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger The CBI on Thursday night detained BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger the main accused in the gang rape of a minor in Unnao. ANI sources said CBI had registered 3 cases against Sengar. The police had registered cases against the BJP MLA under various sections of IPC and provisions of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The MLA has been booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her for marriage,), 363 (kidnapping) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Watch: Those who push people must go home, says Priyanka Vadra at midnight march Congress President Rahul Gandhi led a midnight protest on Thursday against the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes at the capital's India Gate. Rahul Gandhi's sister Priyanka Vadra, who was also present along with her husband Robert Vadra, was pushed by some people in the chaotic crowd. A visibly angry Priyanka asked people to maintain calm and think about the cause for which they had assembled there. "Nobody will push each other. You should know the reason for which you are here. If you cannot behave go home. Now, all of you will silently walk till there," said Priyanka. WATCH: Priyanka Gandhi gets angry at the candlelight march, says 'Nobody will push each other. You should know the reason for which you are here. If you cannot behave go home. Now, all of you will silently walk till there' pic.twitter.com/Hlu9cSKOJG — ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2018 × President Trump has asked trade advisors to rejoin Trans-Pacific Partnership: White House White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said today President Trump has asked trade advisors to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership(TTP) which the US had pulled out from last year. Republican senators met with Trump on Thursday and he told them that he has asked United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow to re-open negotiations, Reuters reported. "The president has consistently said he would be open to a substantially better deal, including in his speech in Davos earlier this year," White House spokeswoman Walters said.

News brief: Big stories of the day

India&#39;s medal increases as Anjum Moudgil grabbed a silver medal in the Women&#39;s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico.

On day six of the competition, Anjum shot brilliantly to finish behind China&#39;s Ruijiao Pei 455.4 to 454.2 after the 45-shot final. China&#39;s Ting Sun claimed bronze, finishing with a score of 442.2.

This was India&#39;s eighth medal of the competition and the first Silver after having won three Golds and four bronze medals already.

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???????? CHINA!! 
???????? INDIA!! 
???????? CHINA AGAIN!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISSFWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISSFWC</a> <a href="https://t.co/53yRsRCzV6">pic.twitter.com/53yRsRCzV6</a>
&mdash; ISSF (@ISSF_Shooting) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISSF_Shooting/status/971896097017806848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, India&#39;s 16-year-old shooting sensation Manu Bhaker has won the women&#39;s 10m air pistol<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/issf-world-cup-shooter-shahzar-rizvi-grabs-maiden-gold-jitu-rai-and-mehuli-ghosh-settle-for-bronze-34578">&nbsp;gold</a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/issf-world-cup-shooter-shahzar-rizvi-grabs-maiden-gold-jitu-rai-and-mehuli-ghosh-settle-for-bronze-34578">International Shooting Sports Federation</a>&nbsp;(ISSF) shooting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/issf-world-cup-shooter-shahzar-rizvi-grabs-maiden-gold-jitu-rai-and-mehuli-ghosh-settle-for-bronze-34578">World Cup</a>&nbsp;in Guadalajara.

Manu Bhaker burst into prominence by winning 9 gold medals at India&#39;s national competition in December and served a reminder of her class by qualifying for the 8 woman final with a junior world record of 572 out of 600.

In the Men&#39;s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, it was heartbreak for 15-year old Anish Bhanwala, who stood third after the first precision round with a solid 294 and a real chance to make it amongst the top six finalists.

Beginning with a solid 99 and following up with a 97, scores of 7, 9, 10, 8, 8 in the final series of five shots pulled him down to seventh place.

Anish ended with 578, the same score as sixth place qualifier Zhaonan Hao of China, but with one 10 lesser than the Chinese.

Neeraj Kumar, the second Indian in the fray, also had a similar last series to finish with 569 and on 13th place.

Three finals are slated for Saturday- the Men`s 3P, the Women&#39;s 25m Pistol and Women&#39;s Skeet- while the World Cup concludes on Sunday with the Men&#39;s Skeet final.

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The People&#39;s Republic of China ???????? claims the gold-bronze combo in the 3 Positions final. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISSFWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISSFWC</a> <a href="https://t.co/Im4xnLYWZA">pic.twitter.com/Im4xnLYWZA</a>
&mdash; ISSF (@ISSF_Shooting) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISSF_Shooting/status/971845232391106560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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India's Anjum Moudgil won a silver medal in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup

India's medal increases as Anjum Moudgil grabbed a silver medal in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico. On day six of the competition, Anjum shot brilliantly to finish behind China's Ruijiao Pei 455.4 to 454.2 after the 45-shot final. China's Ting Sun claimed bronze, finishing with a score of 442.2. This was India's eighth medal of the competition and the first Silver after having won three Golds and four bronze medals already. ???????? CHINA!! ???????? INDIA!! ???????? CHINA AGAIN!!#ISSFWC pic.twitter.com/53yRsRCzV6 — ISSF (@ISSF_Shooting) March 8, 2018 × Earlier, India's 16-year-old shooting sensation Manu Bhaker has won the women's 10m air pistol gold at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) shooting World Cup in Guadalajara. Manu Bhaker burst into prominence by winning 9 gold medals at India's national competition in December and served a reminder of her class by qualifying for the 8 woman final with a junior world record of 572 out of 600. In the Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, it was heartbreak for 15-year old Anish Bhanwala, who stood third after the first precision round with a solid 294 and a real chance to make it amongst the top six finalists. Beginning with a solid 99 and following up with a 97, scores of 7, 9, 10, 8, 8 in the final series of five shots pulled him down to seventh place. Anish ended with 578, the same score as sixth place qualifier Zhaonan Hao of China, but with one 10 lesser than the Chinese. Neeraj Kumar, the second Indian in the fray, also had a similar last series to finish with 569 and on 13th place. Three finals are slated for Saturday- the Men`s 3P, the Women's 25m Pistol and Women's Skeet- while the World Cup concludes on Sunday with the Men's Skeet final. The People's Republic of China ???????? claims the gold-bronze combo in the 3 Positions final. #ISSFWC pic.twitter.com/Im4xnLYWZA — ISSF (@ISSF_Shooting) March 8, 2018 ×

ISSF World Cup: Shooter Anjum Moudgil wins silver

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