The International Shooting Sport Federation on Thursday announced the list of shooters for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The quadrennial event which commences on 24th July 2021 will feature 365 shooters from 100 National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
The ISSF also announced that the 10m air pistol women and 10m air rifle women events will have the highest number of participants. 53 shooters will compete in the 10m air pistol women, while the 10m air rifle women will have 49 participants.
In the men's events, the largest number of participants are in the 10m air rifle with 47 shooters. The second-highest number of shooters participating in a men's event will be in the 50m rifle three positions that will feature 37 shooters.
Interestingly, women's participation in individual events is higher than at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. 239 women shooters will compete in individual shooting events, whereas men's individual events will have 208 shooters.
Read: Tokyo Olympics 2021: Analyzing India's medal chances in shooting
15 Indian shooters to participate in 10 events at the Tokyo Olympics 2020
The International Shooting Sport Federation has officially confirmed that 15 Indian shooters will feature across 10 shooting events (individual and mixed team) at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
The Indian shooting contingent at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will begin their campaign on 24th July 2021. The 15-member Indian shooting team is the second-largest contingent of the country after its 16-member men's and women's hockey teams.
Indian shooting medal hopefuls such as Saurabh Chaudhary, Manu Bhaker, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Abhishek Verma, Rahi Sarnobat, Yashaswini Singh Deswal, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Elavenil Valarivan are expected to hog the limelight at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 later this month.
Indian shooters have been making headlines by winning multiple medals at international shooting events over the last few years. They will be one of the strongest shooting teams in Tokyo.
Read: Explained: Shooting events in which India can bag medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020
India's Olympic history in shooting
India won its first ever Olympic medal in shooting in 2004 when Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won the silver medal in the men's double trap at the Athens Olympics. Four years later, Abhinav Bindra created history by winning India's only Olympic gold in the 10m air rifle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
At the 2012 London Olympics, India won two Olympic medals in shooting. Vijay Kumar clinched the silver medal in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol, while Gagan Narang won the bronze medal in the men's 10m air rifle.
The current team of Indian shooters for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 are expected to bring home more medals compared to the 2004, 2008, and 2012 editions.
Read: Shooting: Looking at some of India's best performances at the Olympics