MITTAL’S TRAP CALIBRE TO FACE TEST IN NATLS

NEW DELHI: World double trap champion Ankur Mittal faces a stiff challenge at home, albeit in the trap event, in the national shotgun championships starting in Jaipur on Friday.

With double trap dropped from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics competition, Mittal is among several marksmen who have switched to an Olympic event like trap or skeet at domestic level in the hope of making the cut to the national team and subsequently an Olympic quota place.

Double trap, in which India won their first Olympic medal in shooting at Athens in 2004, has also been dropped from the World Cup series. But it will be retained in the World Championships and continental competitions, including Commonwealth Games.

Though trap – one shot at a time to hit one flying clay target — and double trap — two shots to hit two targets – are largely similar, Mittal points out they demand different skills.

The Haryana shooter believes all his mastery in double trap won’t make things easy. “All that’s history, the transition will be challenging. I will be like a novice at the trap ranges.”

Mittal says the first step will be to make an impression at national meet.

“A good performance is very important as only the top shooters from the Jaipur competition will be picked for the (national) camp.”