ISSF World Cup: Apurvi, Anjum, Elavenil in action on day one of competition

Anjum Moudgil, Apurvi Chandela and Elavenil Valaraivan will lead India's charge in women's 10m air rifle event on the first day of competition at the season-opening ISSF shooting World Cup here Saturday.

The immensely talented Mehuli Ghosh will shoot in Minimum Qualification Score (MQS) at the Dr Karni Singh Range.

They are among 102 competitors from 44 nations in the fray in the women's 10m event. India have secured both their Olympic quotas in the event through Moudgil and Chandela at the World Championships last September.

With the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revoking the two quotas in the 25m rapid fire pistol event owing to non-issuance of visas to Pakistan shooters, the tournament will now offer 14 quotas for the 2020 Olympic Games instead of the original 16.

Around 500 shooters from 60 nations, including 23 competitors from host country India, will compete for top honours -- medals and quotas.

Besides the men's 25m rapid fire pistol and the two 10m mixed team air rifle and air pistol events, the rest of the seven events in the five-day competition will distribute two Olympic quotas each.

India has already won the maximum possible two quota berths in the women's 10m air rifle event and will compete for 12 quotas in six events, besides trying to win medals.

It is a world-class field comprising at least six former and reigning Olympic champions, seven former and reigning world champions and several Olympic and World Championship medallists as well as Asian Games and Commonwealth Games champions.

For the first time ever, an International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup will be telecast live in 80 countries.