Akhil Sheoran, the world number 17 player in the men’s 50m rifle 3-position, won a bronze medal in the ongoing ISSF World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan on August 20, Sunday. With this incredible achievement, the 28-year-old also secured the fifth quota for Team India in shooting for the Paris Olympics 2024.
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The Baghpat-born shooter finished in third place in the men’s 50m rifle 3-position event, behind the gold medalist Alexander Schmirl of Austria, and the silver medalist Petr Nymbursky of the Czech Republic. Earlier, he had won the men’s 50m rifle 3-position event during the 65th National Rifle Shooting Championships on December 9, last year while competing for Railways.
Notably, on August 19, Saturday, Mehuli Ghosh also won a bronze medal for India in the women’s 10m air rifle event, securing the fourth quota in shooting for the upcoming Olympiad next year. She scored 229.8 points, behind the gold medalist Han Jayu with 251.4 points, and silver medalist Wang Zhillin with 250.2 points, both hailing from China, while Tilottama Sen got fourth place with 208.4 points in the competition.
The three quotas for the Paris Olympics 2024 for Team India were won in the ISSF World Championships last year. The reigning world champion Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil in the men’s 10m air rifle, Bhowneesh Mendiratta in the men’s trap, and Swapnil Kusale in the men’s 50m rifle 3-position were able to secure a place for three Indian shooters at the international multi-sporting event next year.
As per the official website of the Olympic Games, there are a total of 48 quotas on offer with the top four finishers (one per country) in each of the 12 individual shooting events at Paris 2024.
