Shooter Rhythm Sangwan Gets Training With Personal Coach Ahead Of 2024 Olympics, Says ‘Confidence Among Team Is High’
New Delhi [India]: Indian shooter Rhythm Sangwan said that she has been training with her coach Vineet Kumar leading up to the Paris Olympics 2024 and the “confidence among the Indian team is high” because of their consistent performance on the world stage over the years.
Back in January, Sangwan secured the quota for the Paris Olympics by obtaining a bronze medal in the women’s 25 m pistol event at the Asian Shooting Championships in Jakarta. The Paris Olympics will be taking place from July 26 to August 11.
Speaking to ANI at the launch of the Indian Olympic contingent’s official ceremonial and playing kit launch in Delhi, Rhythm said, “I am very excited (for Paris Olympics). It is the biggest stage out there. Very thrilled to be there.”
When asked about her and the team’s preparations, Rhythm said, “The preparations are going good. We are all working hard. I have been working with my coach Vinit Kumar personally. We are both working hard and looking forward to the games.”
“The confidence is high because the shooters have been doing great for the past few years, doing well on the international stage,” she added.
On the support from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Rhythm said that the team feels “very backed up” in terms of support.
Rhythm is one of the rising stars of Indian shooting, having secured five International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup medals so far, including three gold. She also secured a gold in the 25 m pistol team at the ISSF World Championships in Baku last year.
The Indian contingent has secured numerous medals in several ISSF events during the last year or so. In the Asian Games held at Hangzhou last year, India secured 22 medals in shooting, including seven gold, nine silver and six bronze medals.
Sandeep Singh, another shooter who is part of the contingent, spoke about playing in his debut Olympics, “I am very excited. It feels great.”
On the preparations, Sandeep said that he has been training in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.
“The preparations are going on nice. Everyone is doing well. The training is going good in camp as well,” he added.
On the confidence among Indian shooters, he said that it is very high and he feels confident due to the great scores he secures during practice sessions.
Sandeep also said that shooters are getting fine support from IOA and NRAI.
In June, NRAI announced a final 21-member Indian Shooting team for the Paris 2024 Olympics, after the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) accepted their request for a quota swap. Shreyasi Singh has now been added to the team as a result and she will be starting in the event alongside Rajeshwari Kumari.
The team now comprises eight members in Rifle, seven in Pistol and six in the Shotgun discipline. Including the mixed events, the team will now have 28 starts at the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.
The Indian Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun teams for the Paris Olympics 2024:
Rifle
Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta (10m Air Rifle Men’s), Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita (10m Air Rifle Women’s), Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil (50m Rifle 3 Positions Women’s), Aishwary Tomar, Swapnil Kusale (50m Rifle 3 Positions Men’s)
Pistol
Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Cheema (10m Air Pistol Men’s), Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan (10m Air Pistol Women’s), Anish Bhanwal Vijayveer Sidhu (25m RFP Men’s), Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh (25m Pistol Women’s)
Shotgun
Trap (Men’s): Prithviraj Tondaiman
Trap (Women’s): Rajeshwari Kumari and Shreyasi Singh
Skeet (Men’s): Anantjeet Singh Naruka
Skeet (Women’s): Maheshwari Chauhan and Raiza Dhillon
Skeet mixed team: Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Maheshwari Chauhan.