New Delhi, Veteran trap shooter Shreyasi Singh was on Friday included in the final 21-member Indian shooting squad for the Paris Olympics after a quota swap that required the approval of the sport's global governing body, ISSF.
The announcement was made after the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) got the green signal from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), which accepted NRAI's request for the quota swap.
Since Manu Bhaker topped both air pistol and sports pistol, one of the quota places was changed for women's trap shooter, allowing Shreyasi to be included in the team.
The 32-year-old, who is also an active politician with the BJP and represents Jamui constituency in the Bihar Assembly, will debut in the women's trap event along with Rajeshwari Kumari.
"We had requested ISSF to change one quota place in 10m air pistol to feature women and have received correspondence from them that it has been accepted," said Kra. Sultan Singh, General Secretary of NRAI.
"As a result, Shreyasi Singh has now been added to the original list of 20 names published and we will have the full quota of two starters in the women's trap event," he said.
The team now consists of eight members in the rifle, seven in the pistol and six in the shotgun discipline.
Including mixed events, the team will get 28 starts at the quadrennial Games Mahakumbh, which will be held in the French capital from July 26 to August 11.
The last time Indian shooters won Olympic medals was at the 2012 London Games when Vijay Kumar (silver) and Gagan Narang (bronze) finished on the podium. This was after Abhinav Bindra's historic gold winning effort at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The announcement was made after the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) got the green signal from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), which accepted NRAI's request for the quota swap.
Since Manu Bhaker topped both air pistol and sports pistol, one of the quota places was changed for women's trap shooter, allowing Shreyasi to be included in the team.
The 32-year-old, who is also an active politician with the BJP and represents Jamui constituency in the Bihar Assembly, will debut in the women's trap event along with Rajeshwari Kumari.
"We had requested ISSF to change one quota place in 10m air pistol to feature women and have received correspondence from them that it has been accepted," said Kra. Sultan Singh, General Secretary of NRAI.
"As a result, Shreyasi Singh has now been added to the original list of 20 names published and we will have the full quota of two starters in the women's trap event," he said.
The team now consists of eight members in the rifle, seven in the pistol and six in the shotgun discipline.
Including mixed events, the team will get 28 starts at the quadrennial Games Mahakumbh, which will be held in the French capital from July 26 to August 11.
The last time Indian shooters won Olympic medals was at the 2012 London Games when Vijay Kumar (silver) and Gagan Narang (bronze) finished on the podium. This was after Abhinav Bindra's historic gold winning effort at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
