Delhi to host Shooting World Cup Finals next year

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) executive committee has decided to award the 2017 edition of the ISSF World Cup Finals (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun combined) to Delhi.

The decision was taken during the ISSF executive committee's meeting held in Moscow on Wednesday.

The event will be hosted in October next year. This is in addition to the ISSF World Cup series scheduled to be held in the capital in February.

Raninder Singh, President, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), was also awarded with the prestigious "ISSF President Button" at the same meeting, for his exemplary contribution to the growth of the sport.

Reacting to the developments, Raninder said, "This is a recognition of India's growing reputation in the sport of shooting and on the behalf of the entire federation, I would like to thank the ISSF for bestowing upon us the honour to host the World Cup Finals for the very first time. The credit goes to our champion shooters first of all, the Sports Authority of India and the Government of India for supporting us throughout in the growth of the sport in the country and the entire team at NRAI for their untiring efforts in raising the profile of the sport in the country. We hope to put our best foot forward in organizing these marquee events. I would also like to thank the President personally for awarding me with the 'ISSF President Button'. It is a personal confidence booster for myself."

Raninder Singh took over as the President of NRAI in December 2010. Since then the sport of Shooting has grown in stature in the country. A junior programme was conceived as successfully implemented for the first time in the country for the sport of Shooting. This has resulted in a steady pipeline of champion shooters coming up the ranks, given top quality coaching and global exposure provided to them. India has also consistently won medals at the World Championship, World Cup Series and the World Cup Finals stage.

At the London Olympic Games of 2012, India won two medals in Shooting, a Silver and a Bronze, out of the six medals won overall.

The Indian Shooting squad has also managed to secure an all-time high of 12 Olympic quota berths for the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games, scheduled to begin in August.