The International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF) may have decided to increase the number of shots in the women’s events to be on par with their male counterparts – 60 shots each as against the earlier 60 for men and 40 for women in the air pistol and air rifle events – from the first competition of 2018.
The International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF) may have decided to increase the number of shots in the women’s events to be on par with their male counterparts – 60 shots each as against the earlier 60 for men and 40 for women in the air pistol and air rifle events – from the first competition of 2018.
But, the gender equality was something that Olympian shooter Suma Shirur has been following in her small way at her Lakshya Shooting Club’s intra-club annual competition since 2006.
“When we had this 60-40, I used to joke that women would perform better than men if they were also given 60 shots. Now, after I have had 60 shots for women also at my club, ISSF has made it equal with women also getting to shoot 60 shots,” the 43-year-old 2004 Athens Olympics finalist said here on Thursday.
Shirur was speaking while announcing her annual one-day Lakshya Cup, which has grown in stature over the years and will be held on Friday at her state-of-the-art range in Karnataka Sports Academy, Panvel, Navi Mumbai.
Having tried on an experimental basis to invite national shooters last year, the 10m air rifle competition will see marksmen from the top 20 national rankings among both senior and junior men and women besides the eight state finalists and last year’s winners on invitation.
Shirur said that the competition will see men and women shooting together at the world-class range that is fully electronic after renovation last year.
Among the leading shooters that will be in action will be former world No. 1 Anjali Bhagwat, world champion and record holder in 2010 Tejaswini Sawant, Asian shooting bronze medallist Ravi Kumar, World Cup finalist Deepak Kumar, national champion Anjum Moudgil besides Shirur herself.
The competition, which follows the nationals, serves as a preparation for the impending national selection trials. “The 60-shot for men and women format will give most of the shooters a chance to get used to this format ahead of the trials in January,” Shirur said, adding that the Friday event is also her way of showing her gratitude to her coach, Dronacharya Sanjay Chakraverty.
The prize money has also increased over the years, from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 for the senior winners and Rs 25,000 for the juniors.
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 "Suma Shirur and her husband Siddharth Shirur")
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