Tangier (Morocco), March 30 Indian trap shooters will aim for a significantly improved performance compared to their skeet counterparts when the ISSF Shotgun World Cup resumes here on Tuesday, following a two-day pre-event training session.
The men's and women's skeet contingents had a subdued performance at the inaugural Shotgun World Cup of the season, with none of the Indian shooters qualifying for the finals despite ideal competition conditions.
However, shooters like Bhowneesh Mendiratta – who secured a quota place for the Paris Olympics but missed the national trials – will aim to start the season on a high note, with the Asian Games in Japan and the World Championships later this year.
Additionally, Olympians Prithviraj Tondaiman and Kynan Chenai will aim to have a strong start to the year, while the women's contingent, led by Rajeshwari Kumari, will also aim to kick off the season on a high note.
The opening day, featuring 75 shots – split into three rounds of 25 each – should provide a clear early indication of how the competition is shaping up.
With India's foreign trap coach, Peter Wilson – a renowned Olympic gold medallist – overseeing the preparations, it will be interesting to see how the athletes perform under his guidance and how the campaign unfolds.
A highly competitive field, consisting of the reigning Olympic and World champions, has entered the competition.
The women's field will feature reigning Olympic champion Adriana Ruano, who won Guatemala's first ever Olympic gold, and 24-year-old world champion Mar Molné Magriñá from Spain, among the 59-strong lineup.
Other prominent athletes include World Championship bronze medallist Sandro Bernal of Poland, World Championship finalists Fatima Galvez of Spain, Ines de Barros of Portugal, and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Alessandra Perilli of San Marino, among others.
In the men's event, an 84-strong field has entered the competition, with reigning world champion Josip Glasnovic of Croatia and Paris champion Nathan Hales of Great Britain headlining the field.
