World Cup 2024: Star-studded field for New Delhi season opener

A star-studded field is set to be in action when New Delhi, the capital of India, hosts the season-opening World Shooting Para Sport World Cup from Saturday (9 March).

This is the first time India is hosting a World Cup, also a first time the shooting Para sport action is taking place in a South Asian region.

The New Delhi 2024 World Cup is also the last opportunity for athletes from outside of Europe to achieve qualification to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Twenty quota spots (five male athletes, seven female athletes and eight gender free) will be on offer over the next six days with a galaxy of Paralympic stars striving to earn the final quotas for their countries.

Overall, 268 athletes from 49 nations (178 men, 99 women) are ready to fight for the Paralympic quota spots.

After the Al Ain World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in December, it will be the first time the athletes will be in international competitions. So, it will be interesting to see how they start the new season after a span of almost three months.

Top Chinese names

China, the Tokyo 2020 table toppers, will have some of the biggest names on the field with their all four Paralympic champions to be vying for honours in New Delhi.
 
Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Chao Dong (R1 – men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1), Chao Yang (P1 – men’s 10m air pistol SH1), Zhang Cuiping (R8 – women’s 50m air rifle 3 positions SH1), Xing Huang (P3 – mixed 25m pistol SH1) will be in action over the week.

 
Among other stars who should be among the mix in New Delhi: Sweden’s Paralympic champion Philip Jonsson in the R4 - mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2 and Anna Benson, the world champion in the R8 – women’s 50m air rifle 3 positions SH1, will also be competing.

World-Class field

Another big name, Slovakia’s multi-champion Veronika Vadovicova will also be in action in New Delhi. She is the current Paralympic champion in the R6 - mixed 50m rifle prone SH1. Slovakia will also count with Radoslav Malenovsky, the Lima 2023 world champion in the R7 – men’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1.

Not to forget, France’s Tanguy De La Forest, the two-time individual world champion R4 – mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2 and R9 – mixed 50m rifle prone SH2 at the Lima 2023 World Championships, will be ready to produce another incredible show. 

Home stars

However, it will be the home Paralympic stars who will be in focus with Manish Narwal (P4 – mixed 50m pistol SH1) and Avani Lekhara (R2 – women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1) vying for more gold at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting ranges.

There will be others as well in India’s strong pistol shooters line-up including Singhraj Adana, the silver medallist in the mixed 50m pistol SH1 in Tokyo 2020 and youngsters Rudransh Khandelwal (P4 mixed 50m pistol SH1), Nihal Singh (P3 – mixed 25m pistol SH1) and Rubina Francis (P5 – mixed 10m Air pistol standard SH1), all of whom clinched medals at the Lima 2023 Worlds. 

Narwal, also the world champion in the P1, is happy to compete at home. 

“I’m excited to perform at home in an international event. It will be a different experience to perform in front of family and friends. There will no pressure as we will play in a venue we practice at every day.

“Looking forward to a great event.”

Meanwhile Lekhara added: “With the Paralympics coming up shortly it will be a great platform to evaluate progress and training. Lot of work has gone into training and preparing for the matches ahead. Inputs from this World Cup will help understand how much the preparations have worked and will further plan for the Paralympics: I’ll be looking to give my best for my country.”

Team India already has eight quotas (seven men and one woman) and will be aiming to secure more quotas in women’s pistol categories. 

The Venue

The picturesque Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range is nestled peacefully in the Aravali hill range. Built during the 9th Asian Games, it has world class facilities for shooting and has hosted the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Where to follow?

The New Delhi 2024 World Cup can be followed live on World Shooting Para Sport Facebook page.  

Complete schedule and results from the action can be found here.