Beijing Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra will headline India's likely domination of the Commonwealth Games shooting event, even though 'Goldfinger' has taken a backseat.
Beijing Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra will headline India's likely domination of the Commonwealth Games shooting event, even though 'Goldfinger' has taken a backseat.
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Indian shooters hit bulls-eye four years ago in Melbourne with 16 gold, seven silver and four bronze medals that lifted the country to fourth place in the overall medals tally with 22 golds.
The competition was dominated by pistol shooter Samaresh Jung, whose five golds, one silver and a bronze earned him the nickname of 'Goldfinger' and won him the David Dixon award as the athlete of the Games.
The feat won't be repeated as Jung, now 40, has qualified for only the standard pistol event at his home ranges.
Jung warned the absence of a coach and lack of good practice facilities could also affect his team-mates, but remained confident of a rich medal haul by the Indian squad.
"Last time we had a coach and were better prepared," he said. "The absence of coach and training facilities will affect our performance for sure.
"We badly need a coach. It's just not possible to give your best shot without any guidance."
India's pistol shooters have lacked a coach since 2008 when Hungarian Czaba Gyorik's contract was not renewed after the Beijing Olympics.
Russian coach Alexander Melentiev turned down a short-term assignment after being offered the job only till the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in November.
It should, however, be smooth sailing for Bindra, who became India's first and only individual Olympic gold medallist when he won the 10m Air Rifle title at Beijing two years ago.
"Abhinav is a seasoned performer and we expect gold from him," said India's long-serving national coach Sunny Thomas. "But the others are also capable of doing well.
"The challenge for us is to better our Melbourne tally."
Rifle shooter Gagan Narang and trap marksman Manavjit Sandhu comprise a strong home squad that includes Tejaswini Sawant, the first Indian woman world champion who won the 50m Rifle prone title in Munich in August.
Athens Olympics silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will miss performing on home turf after he skipped trials for his double-trap event to protest selection policies.
His slot has gone to world junior champion Asher Noria.
Thomas rued the delay in renovating the Karni Singh ranges in New Delhi that has deprived the shooters a chance to practice at the competition venue.
"It will be like a foreign range for them," the coach said. "There is no home advantage at all."
Australian shooters, who won nine gold medals in Melbourne, are expected to once again provide the toughest challenge for the Indians.
The Aussies warmed up for the Commonwealth Games by taking a gold and three silvers at the recent world championships in Munich.
Lalita Yauhleuskaya, Dina Aspandiyarova and Linda Ryan won the women's 10m air pistol team title, while Yauhleuskaya took silver in the individual category.
"Doing well at the world championships means we are in good shape for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi," said Australian International Shooting chief Nick Sullivan.
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