Saurabh, who holds the junior world record, smashed the senior record on his way to the men's 10m air pistol gold with at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi.
Former Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra will lead the 25-member Indian shooting contingent in the third leg of the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup (Rifle/Pistol), to be held in Munich from May 19 to 26. The Indian team comprises of 17 shooters and eight officials. But with the Rio Games less than three months away, all eyes will be on those shooters, who are selected to represent India at the Olympics. Apart from Abhinav, other Indian shooters in the World Cup team who will also be heading to Rio include the likes of Jitu Rai, Gagan Narang, Chain Singh, Apurvi Chandela and Ayonika Paul, Gurpreet Singh, P N Prakash and Heena Sidhu.
A look at how India's athletes fared at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.
India's squash ace Dipika Pallikal will be in action against the formidable Nicol David in the semi-final round on Monday, the third day of the Asian Games.
Following is the schedule of Indian contingent on day six of the Asian Games:
A star-studded Indian shooting contingent will begin their Rio Olympics campaign on Saturday with in-form Jitu Rai hoping to launch the country's medal haul in an event which will also see his more illustrious senior colleague Abhinav Bindra aiming to end his glorious career on a high.
I have designed an international level shooting range at home. I have named it 'Mission Olympic' and have written on them Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024'
Two-time Olympic champion Vincent Hancock of the USA won the men's skeet competition, the concluding event of the year's first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup.
India's 572 athletes hope to return home with an overflowing treasure chest of medals.
India's top pistol shooter Heena Sidhu is hoping funds sanctioned to her by the government as part of its TOP scheme for her Olympic preparations are released on time. "Going into the Olympics, I hope that the funds meant for my preparation will be released on time so that my training doesn't suffer. There are lot of paperwork, it's a long process normally. OGQ has been doing a lot too," Sidhu said on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi on Thursday. The current world record holder and former world No. 1 secured an Olympic quota for the country in January after she led from start to claim gold medal in women's 10-m air pistol at the last Asia Olympic Qualifiers for Shooting. Asked about her preparation, she said," I am just following the process. This is not the time to make changes in your game. There will be a test event in Rio in April, and I will get an understanding after that if I need to make any minor adjustments or not. The climate in India and Brazil are similar."
China got its first gold at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics thanks to some sharp shooting skills by Olympic debutant Zhang Mengxue on Sunday. Presenting a round-up of the athletes who shone bright to take home gold medals on Day 2 at the Rio Games...
Women formed the core of India's stupendous day four at the 21st Commonwealth Games where a 16-year-old Manu Bhaker delivered a record-shattering shooting gold medal and the table tennis team shocked fancied defending champions Singapore to clinch the top honours for the first time in the event.
Pooja Ghatkar overcame technical issues to clinch the women's 10m air rifle bronze medal as hosts India opened their account on a positive note in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in New Delhi.
Images from Day 2 of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Continuing with their blazing form, Indian shooters had a rich haul of five gold, three silver and one bronze medal on the sixth day in the 11th South Asian Games on Wednesday.
The Indian ace won the gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle at the International Air Rifle and Pistol Shooting Championships.
Dipika Pallikal assured India of a maiden women's singles squash medal in the Asian Games, while top seed Saurav Ghosal confirmed his third successive podium finish in men's singles after the two reached the semi-finals of their respective events in Incheon on Sunday.
Women archers were on target in the individual events, while Manoj Kumar scripted a triumph of the underdog in the boxing ring on the fifth day of the Rio Games.
The Games' Sport-Specific Regulations (SSR) has been developed jointly by IOC and the IFs to determine the impact of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case and its management in competition formats and structures.
Junior shooters deliver 2 gold, 1 silver for India at world championships
India's pistol ace Jitu Rai displayed good form to sail through to the qualification round of the men's 50-metre pistol event on the opening day of the ISSF World Cup in Munich on Saturday.
India's pistol shooter Heena Sidhu pulled out of the Asian Airgun Shooting Championship in Iran due to the compulsory hijab rule for all women athletes.
The Hyderabad shooter, who was a last-minute entry, won the men's 10m air-rifle event at the Afro Asian Games.
The India ace won the individual and team gold medals in 50m free pistol at the Saf Games.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
The two Indians narrowly lost the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle and men's 25m standard pistol events, respectively.
The Indian ace placed 40th in men's 10m air rifle event in the ISSF World Cup (Rifle and Pistol) in Fort Benning, USA.
It was mixed day for Indian shooters at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup as Olympic medallists Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang failed to qualify for the final round of the men's 10m Air Rifle event, while Jitu Rai progressed to the qualification round in 50m Pistol on the opening day at Fort Benning, United States on Thursday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Will India finally reach the elusive double-digit mark? Raj Kishore Mishra, former joint secretary at the sports ministry, for one, is willing to stick his neck out on the possibility.
Jaspal Rana says 'too much' is being expected from teenage prodigies like Manu Bhaker and Anish Bhanwala
Mehuli Ghosh's effort will, however, not be considered as a world record, as the South Asian Games' results are not recognised by the international body (ISSF) for the purpose of records.
Unsparing on the under-performing shooters but equally scathing on coaches and the national federation, the Abhinav Bindra-led National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) review committee hardly minced words as it chastised the Rio Olympics flop show while recommending a systematic overhaul.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday.
Jitu Rai on Wednesday said he 'enjoys' fighting his way back from difficult situations.
Apurvi Chandela won the gold in the women's 10 metres air rifle event on the concluding day of the 58th National Shooting Championships.
The Indian Olympic Association has been fined $10,000 for withdrawing teams from the Asian Games at a late stage, but All India Tennis Association chief Anil Khanna is hopeful that the penalty would be withdrawn.
>There's still hope and plenty to play for, says Rediff.com's Aruneel Sadadekar.
Abhinav Bindra said he is not in favour of boycotting the 2022 Commonwealth Games
