Windy conditions might trouble Indian shooters at Rio: Anjali

Former star shooter Anjali Bhagwat on Thursday pointed out that the windy conditions on the outdoor range at the forthcoming Rio de Janerio Olympics could be a disadvantage for Indian shooters as they lack top quality ammunition.

"The 25m and 50m outdoor ranges will be very windy. I won my 2008 Beijing Olympic quota place in the Rio World Cup. It's the same range which has not changed. We just had the Pre-Olympic World Cup there. Everything is the same," Anjali, former World No.1 in 10 metre Air Rifle and a former Commonwealth Games champion said here.

"Conditions are the same for everyone but wind matters a lot (for Indian shooters) and technically it's difficult for us as we don't have that much of advantage to get quality of ammunition unlike Europeans who have brands of various ammunition having different velocities. In windy conditions we try to shoot with lower velocity ammunition. But we have a limited access to these different types of ammunition."

Anjali, who has represented India in three consecutive Olympics, and was a finalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, said that changes in the rules after the 2012 London Olympics have made it an open competition, where there will be no favourites.

"After 2012 the whole rule book has changed -- from timings, from the procedure of matches and the counting. Earlier, in the three-position event we started with lying (prone), then it was kneeling and last was done standing. But now it starts with kneeling, then prone and then standing," the Commonwealth record holder in 10m Air Rifle and Sports Rifle 3P said.

"Plus the procedure for finals and the number of shots have changed. Earlier, only 10 shots were there in three positions, but now we have to shoot 15 shots each in all three positions."

"Every shooter has equal chance to qualify. Earlier the best shooter standing will only win, but now all have equal chances to cover up in the finals," Anjali, the only Indian to win the ISSF Champions' Trophy in Air Rifle Men and Women mixed event at Munich in 2002 added.

-IANS

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