Sift Kaur Samra and Niraj Kumar Triumph in Olympic Selection Trials for Rifle Shooting

Sift Kaur Samra, the Asian Games gold medallist and world record holder in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions event, secured victory in the first Olympic selection trials held in New Delhi, India on April 24, 2024. She shot a score of 466.3, which was 3.7 points higher than the second-placed Ashi Choksey, who had topped the qualification round. Olympian Anjum Moudgil finished third with a score of 449.2.

In the men's section, Niraj Kumar overcame tough rivals to win the trials with a final score of 462.2. Paris quota holder and qualification topper Swapnil Kusale finished second with 460.9, while Aishwary Tomar came in third at 450.5.

Samra, who won India's first-ever individual shooting gold medal at the Asian Games last year, broke the world record in the process. She recovered from a poor qualification round and a deficit after the first 15 shots in the kneeling position to take the lead after a near-perfect second stage in the prone position and secure a comfortable win.

Why this matters: The depth of competition among India's top shooters was on display in the 50m rifle 3 positions category, with all five shooters in contention to come out on top. The Olympic selection trials serve as a crucial stepping stone for Indian shooters aiming to secure their spots at the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024.

The sixth day of the ongoing Olympic Selection Trials 1 & 2 also saw the qualification rounds of the 10m air rifle and pistol competitions. Sandeep Singh and Tilottama Sen topped the men's and women's 10m air rifle events, respectively, while Varun Tomar and Rhythm Sangwan finished first in the men's and women's 10m air pistol qualification rounds.

Key Takeaways

• Sift Kaur Samra won the women's 50m rifle 3 positions Olympic trials with a score of 466.3.
• Niraj Kumar won the men's 50m rifle 3 positions Olympic trials with a score of 462.2.
• Ashi Choksey and Swapnil Kusale finished 2nd in the women's and men's events, respectively.
• Sandeep Singh and Tilottama Sen topped the 10m air rifle qualification rounds.
• Varun Tomar and Rhythm Sangwan finished 1st in the 10m air pistol qualification rounds.