ISSF World Cup Final Day 3 Preview: Ten shooters in the hunt for India's first medal

The action continues on at the ISSF World Cup Final in Putian, China as the penultimate day of competition unravels with four finals lined up in the 10 metre Air Rifle and 10 metre Air Pistol events for both the men and women.

The day kicks off with the 10 metre Air Pistol events as five shooters - Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Shahzar Rizvi, Manu Bhaker and Yashaswini Deswal - will be in the running for India's first medal at the ISSF World Cup Final in China.

Manu Bhaker, the young Indian shooting sensation will aim to put the disappointment of the 25-metre air pistol event from yesterday after failing to make the qualification cut based on the number of inner 10s. Bhaker has been in fine form in 2019 adding medals to her tally at the ISSF World Cup as well as the Asian Championship and has secured her place at the Tokyo Olympics.

Bhaker's compatriot Yashaswini Deswal is another Indian shooter who will be a part of the shooting contingent at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 as she won a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Final in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Deswal made the finals at the Asian Championship and will aim to get a podium finish in China.

For the men's event, Saurabh Chaudhary, the young shooting star will be a top contender having earned the limelight after winning gold at the 2018 Asian Games in the 10 metre Air Pistol event. Chaudhary secured his spot in Tokyo when he won a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Final in Delhi and added four medals at the ISSF World Cup Finals. He also won a silver medal at the recently concluded Asian Championship in Doha, Qatar and will aim to break the duck for Indians in terms of medals in China.

Alongside Saurabh Chaudhary, fellow shooters Shahzar Rizvi and Abhishek Verma will be competing in the 10 metre Air Pistol event as well. Abhishek Verma is a veteran shooter who has been in fine form over the last year, winning an Asian Championship bronze medal and two ISSF World Cup gold medals clinching a spot for himself in Tokyo as well.

Shahzar Rizvi is the third shooter in the 10 metre Air Pistol event and is a seasoned shooter on the circuit with a 2018 World Cup gold medal and a silver medal at the World Championship event.

The Women's 10 metre Air Rifle event will see four young Indian shooters - Anjum Moudgil, Mehuli Ghosh, Elavenil Valarivan and Apurvi Chandela in action in a wide field of talented women on the hunt for a medal.

Anjum Moudgil will aim to get back into form after failing to qualify for the finals on Day 1 in the 50-metre rifle 3 positions event. Moudgil has won a silver medal at the 2018 World Championships held in Changwon, South Korea.

The second contender, Mehuli Ghosh, a young 18-year old shooter from West Bengal was one of the youngest shooters to win two medals at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Mexico. Ghosh has won a gold medal at the Youth World Cup and will aim to transition to the senior circuit on a successful note as well raking in the glory for the nation.

Elavenil Valarivan comes to the event with a strong pedigree from the youth circuit having won two gold medals at ISSF Junior World Cup events in Australia and Brazil. Valarivan finished fourth at the ISSF World Cup Final event in Munich and clinched her first gold medal in the senior circuit at the Asian Air Gun Championships held in Taipei.

Apurvi Chandela is currently ranked World No. 1 in Women's 10 metres Air Rifle

The final challenger in the event, Apurvi Chandela is the current world ranked No.1 in the Women's 10 metre Air Rifle category and will be amongst the favourites to get a medal position. Chandela also has her position earmarked in the Tokyo Olympics contingent and will aim to get India on the board in Putian as well.

The lone Indian shooter in the Men's 10 metre Air Rifle event is the young 17-year old Divyansh Singh Panwar. Panwar has won two gold medals this year at the ISSF World Cup Finals in Munich and Beijing, securing his spot in Tokyo and won't let his young age be a deterrence on his path to a medal finish in the event.

The Day 3 of the action at the ISSF World Cup Finals event will witness a more promising chance of India getting itself on the medal tally in China. Eleven contenders across four events will be gunning for glory to make the tricolour fly.