European Championships: India's 13-member shooting squad lands in Osijek to take part in MQS section

Osijek: India’s 13-member Olympic-bound shooting squad arrived in Osijek from the Croatian capital Zagreb to shoot in the Minimum Qualification Score (MQS) section of the European Championships. The competitions began on Saturday with the junior events. India’s Tokyo-bound shooters will take part in the men’s and women’s individual Olympic events only. Anjum Moudgil may compete in two individual events (women’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions). Located on the eastern fringes of Croatia, Osijek will also play host to the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun competition, scheduled from 22 June, a couple of weeks after the conclusion of the European Championships. “We have all settled down well and felt really good after completing the seven-day quarantine period. The team is in great spirits and really looking forward to the Championship,” said rifle coach Deepali Deshpande. The first individual Olympic events, the men’s and women’s 10m air rifle and air pistol competitions, are scheduled for Monday. When shooting in the MQS section, athletes do not compete for a medal and therefore are not eligible to qualify for the finals. Their scores, however, can be used for official and ranking purposes. A total of 15 Indian shooters have qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. Skeet shooters Mairaj Khan and Angad Bajwa, who have also qualified for the Games, are training in Italy.