Tangier (Morocco), March 26 – The Indian shotgun squad is ready to compete as the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Shotgun World Cup Tangier competition begins at the Club Tangérois de Tir in Tangier, Morocco, on Thursday. The opening event of the 2026 season will feature some of the world's most accomplished shooters in a strong field.
The first day of the competition will begin with 75 targets for both men and women, followed by 50 targets and the final on Sunday. The competitions will start at 13:30 IST (9 AM local time), with the women's finals starting at 20:30 IST (4 PM local time), followed by the men's finals at 22:00 IST (5:30 PM local time) on Sunday.
A highly competitive field consisting of Olympic and World Champions has entered the competition. India has entered the maximum quota of six athletes in both men and women, along with two shooters each in both men and women, who will be competing for ranking points.
The women's field includes stars such as the reigning Olympic champion Francisca Crovetto Chadid of Chile, who is returning to international competition after maternity leave, along with the reigning world champion Samantha Simonton of the United States. Diana Bacosi of Italy, a double Olympic and double world champion, also participates, along with Dania Jo Vizzi of the USA, Kazakhstan's world championship medallist Assem Orynbay, among others.
The Indian team consists of Olympian Maheshwari Chauhan and siblings Darshana Rathore and Yashasvi Rathore. Yashasvi, the youngest of the two, placed second in the 68th Nationals and also won a silver medal in the junior category at the Asian Championships in Shymkent last year. Areeba Khan and Mansi Raghuwanshi will also be competing, but only for ranking points.
In the men's event, an 82-strong field has entered the competition, with World Championship 2025 bronze medallist Emil Kjeldgaard Petersen of Denmark headlining the list. Last season's World Cup finals winner Christian Elliot of the USA, Italy's double Olympic champion Gabriele Rossetti, Tokyo silver medallist Jesper Hansen, also of Denmark, and former world champion and Asian Games champion Masoud Saleh Al-Athba of Qatar are among the top names in the competition. Angad Vir Singh Bajwa, who represented India until last year, will also be competing for Canada for the first time.
India's hopes rest on experienced shooters Man Singh and Parampal Singh Guron, along with Jyotiraditya Singh Sisodiya, who is making his senior international debut. Man, a former Asian champion, is returning to the team after three years, while Parampal last represented India in 2022. Jyotiraditya won a junior bronze in his last international outing at the Shymkent Asian Championships last year and will be eager to make a senior debut for India. Sukhbir Singh Harika and junior national champion Harmehar Singh Lally will also be competing for ranking points.
With Olympic champions, world champions, experienced finalists, and emerging talents all competing, the World Cup promises a compelling start to the season. As athletes begin their journey towards Olympic qualification pathways, all eyes will be on Tangier to see who sets the early benchmark for the year ahead.