Retaining quota will be challenge: Anjum
NEW DELHI: Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela have won India two quota places in shooting so far for the Tokyo Olympics, both in 10m air rifle. However, the two seasoned campaigners feel retaining their places will be a challenge.
Anjum won silver while Apurvi finished fourth in 10m air rifle at the ISSF World Championships in Changwon in September to secure Olympic quotas for the country. They were the only Indian shooters to have won quota from the World Championships.
The two rifle shooters are part of the Indian squad for this year’s first ISSF World Cup starting at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range here on February 23. The World Cup will offer 16 quota places for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. India, having got the quotas in women’s 10m air rifle, will be eligible for 14.
Anjum agrees it is a relief to have booked India’s first berth for Tokyo but is aware there is no room to relax. The women’s 10m air rifle is highly competitive and young shooters like Elavenil Valarivan, who is part of the 10m air rifle team here, and Mehuli Ghosh will be hot on their heels. She, however, feels the competition from young shooters will help her maintain high levels.
“From past two years, so many young shooters are doing well. They are shooting world class scores. We are now asking them to tell us how to do that. They have given us a benchmark, so we have to work hard and get our levels high. I have to keep the focus on giving good results,” she said.
Anjum had a great 2018 winning silver medals at the World Cup, Commonwealth Games (50m rifle 3-position) and then bagging the Olympic quota at World Championships in 10m air rifle. She is keen to win gold at the World Cup here. Coached by former shooter Deepali Deshpande, Anjum will be also trying out a new rifle and working on her technique.
“I just recently changed my rifle. I had some issues with my old one so I changed it and now we are working on (with coach Deepali) getting that together. I think it is more about working on differ-
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So many young shooters are doing well. They have given us a benchmark, so we have to work hard and keep our levels high. ANJUM MOUDGIL, shooter
ent parts of my techniques and the way I train. Her being there is always good for me and even for the foreign coach, so they can just discuss and make the plan together. So it is really positive.
“I have been working hard over the last couple of months after all the silver medals. I hope to improve on my performance and not repeat the mistakes. I have lots of things to learn especially in air event.”
She is also one of the best India have in rifle 3 positions. Anjum, however, insists she is focused on both events. “What gives confidence is doing more than one event. So I will surely go for 3P and air together. I just love doing two events instead of one,” she says with a laugh.
Apurvi, who won bronze medals in 10m air rifle at Commonwealth Games and in mixed team event at the Asian Games, said, “All the four World Cups are important and I have to do well.”
She won gold at Meyton Cup in Austria this year.
“The gold medal definitely boosted my confidence. Winning the quota place was a high but I will have to keep doing my best,” she added.