India to host shooting's Asian Olympic qualifying championship next year

India will host next year's Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in Delhi where eight quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be up for grabs, marking a historic first for the country's shooting calendar which already features an Olympic qualifier in the World Cup.

The eight slots in the Asian competition will be in addition to the 12 quota places that will be on offer in the World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) from April 21 to 30 next year, also to be held in Delhi.

The allotment of the Asian event was confirmed by the Asian Shooting Confederation in a letter to the National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Singh Deo. The NRAI stated that the dates for the Asian qualifier will be finalised in due course.

"We congratulate National Rifle Association of India for winning the hosting rights of Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2027 where eight Quota Places will be distributed for the LA 2028 Olympics. We are confident that, under your leadership, the championship will be organised to the highest standards and will be a great success," the letter, which is in PTI's possession, stated.

Speaking to PTI, NRAI secretary general Pawankumar Singh said it is a proud moment for the country. "This is the first time India will be hosting two Olympic quota competitions and we are very proud of that. We will host the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun (April 21-30) in New Delhi and the Asian Championships in Rifle and Pistol here at the Karni Singh Ranges," said Singh.

"The dates for the Asian Championships will be announced later but we are very happy that the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has shown faith in our abilities to organise major competitions. This shows the growing clout of Indian shooting sport and the confidence the international body has in us," he added.

Singh said he was hopeful India would make full use of the two competitions to secure as many quota places as possible.

The ISSF had decided against giving Olympic qualification slots in the World Cups during the Paris Olympic Games cycle, but these events have regained that status for the Los Angeles cycle.

"Indian shooters will hopefully capitalise on this opportunity and aim for the maximum quota allocation of 24 places for a country, surpassing the 22 quotas they secured ahead of the Paris Games," Singh said.

Delhi will host this year's Asian Championships (Rifle/Pistol) from Wednesday at the Karni Singh Ranges. Over 300 shooters from 20 countries will compete across junior and senior categories.