Swapnil Kusale Leads Indian Challenege At ISSF World Cup In Munich
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Swapnil Kusale will lead the Indian squad at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Elavenil Valarivan and Palak return, while Ananya Naidu, Aditya Malra, and Nishant Rawat debut.
Paris Olympics bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale will lead the Indian squad at the season's third ISSF World Cup, starting Tuesday in Munich. He is joined by returning shooter Elavenil Valarivan and a host of international stars. Kusale regained his place in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event following strong domestic performances.
Two-time Olympian Elavenil Valarivan returns to international competition for the first time since Paris, having previously competed in Buenos Aires and Lima as an RPO (Ranking Points Only) shooter. Reigning Asian Games champion Palak also rejoins the team in the women's air pistol category.
The World Cup will see several debuts, including newly-crowned women's air rifle national champion Ananya Naidu. In the men's air pistol, newcomers Aditya Malra and Nishant Rawat will represent India, demonstrating the nation's depth in the discipline ahead of future challenges.
A total of 695 athletes from 78 countries, including Olympic and World champions, will participate. The season began with a double-header in South America, where Indian rifle and pistol shooters secured 15 medals, including six golds, resulting in second and third-place finishes overall.
However, the Munich leg presents a sterner test, with a greater concentration of elite shooters. Legendary Chinese marksman Li Yuehong, the reigning Olympic champion and three-time Olympic medallist in the 25m rapid-fire pistol (RFP), will compete alongside 20-year-old Sheng Lihao, the reigning Olympic, world, and Asian champion and world-record holder.
China, victorious in the first two legs, sends a 22-member squad, including men's air pistol Olympic champion Xie Yu. Hosts Germany field a strong 27-member contingent led by pistol legend and former Olympic and world champion Christian Reitz. Anna Janssen, the women's air rifle qualification world record holder, will also compete.
Another RFP legend, Jean Quiquampoix, part of a 16-member French squad, completes the trio of legends who have dominated the event for the past decade. The 19-member Korean team includes two of their three reigning women Olympic champions: Yang Jiin (25m pistol) and Oh Yejin (10m air pistol).
Several Paris Olympic medallists, including the USA's Sagen Maddalena, Italy's Paolo Monna and Danilo Sollazzo, and Kazakhstan's Alexandra Le, are also set to compete.
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