Indian shooters take part in Olympic trials to make up for world cup pullout, postponement

It was business as usual for India's top shooters Monday as they competed in the Olympic team selection trials at a time when a pandemic has brought daily life to a grinding halt around much of the world.

As the world around them battled the COVID-19 affliction, the sound of shots fired from their guns, rifles and their pistols reverberated across the Karni Singh Shooting Range, tucked away in one corner of the national capital.

The likes of Manu Bhaker, Chinki Yadav, Apurvi Chandela, Mehuli Ghosh and Elavenil Valarivan, among others, participated in the trials for their respective pistol and rifle events.

India had last month pulled out of the Nicosia Shotgun World Cup and later the March 15-26 ISSF World Cup in Delhi was postponed to May -- all due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"Due to India pulling out of the Nicosia Shotgun World Cup earlier this month and the postponement of the New Delhi combined World Cup due to the global COVID-19 outbreak, final trials are being conducted for those selected in the Indian squads for the above two mentioned World Cups, so that they can register their final remaining scores, before the Olympic team is announced," a release from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said.

Monday was the first day of the trials.

Shotgun shooters will have two trials while the rifle and pistol shooters will have one each.

India has so far reported 114 positive cases with two deaths. The global death toll has crossed 6,000 and the number of infected is over 160,000.

The disease has led to either cancellation or postponement of all sports events the world over in the Olympic year.

Various state governments in the country have ordered closure of schools, malls, and cinema halls in a bid to avoid large gatherings while also asking people to practice social distancing.