Target Tokyo: Shooter Nanjappa hires Korean coach

NEW DELHI: International pistol shooter Prakash Nanjappa has made radical innovations to his training plans for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Among them is having a full-time coach.

The day after he was recommended for the prestigious Arjuna Award, the Olympian said: “I have made overall changes in my training to cut down on error during competitions. It is a challenging task, but I am enjoying the routine.”

Firstly, he has shifted his focus to the 10-metre air pistol event since the 50m free pistol has been scrapped from the next Olympic Games. At the Rio Games, he finished 25th in the 50m event with a score of 547. Secondly, he has changed his weapon. “All the changes collectively should help me polish my skills. I have changed my technique with an aim to be more consistent at the global level,” he added.

The pistol shooter though has chalked out plans with his South Korean coach Kim Seon-Il, a former coach of the Korean national team. Prior to the Rio Games, the Korean expert was helping him occasionally, but now he is based in Pune. The Bangalore-based shooter wants to make an impact in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in April and Asian Games in September. He is also targeting the 2018 ISSF World Championship at Changwon, South Korea. It will be the first qualification tournament for Tokyo Olympic Games.

Winner of silver in 10m air pistol at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, he wants gold this time in Australia. “I am ranked among the top three or four in the country. I need to sustain my efforts to stay atop the field. Next year is important,” he said. “I have sponsors so I don’t need to worry about the money. It will help me get the right kind of international exposure in the build up to tournaments,” he said.