The ISSF World Cup in Lonato, where the first finals will take place tomorrow, is the last event on the calendar involving Olympic events until competition starts at the Paris 2024 Games on July 27.
For those taking part from the 18-strong Indian team this last stop in Italy will be particularly crucial as the shotgun squad for Paris 2024 will be announced immediately afterwards.
There were five entrants for the trap men, the final of which takes place at the Olympic Shooting Range “Trap Concaverde” tomorrow - Lakshay Lakshay, world-ranked 18, Jaswinder Singh, Vivaan Kapoor, Bhowneesh Mendiratta, world-ranked 44, and Prithviraj Tondaiman.
India’s trap women selections were Kirti Gupta, Rajkuwar Ingle, Manisha Keer, world-ranked 26, Rajeshwari Kumari, world-ranked 20 and Shreyasi Singh, world-ranked 39.
For the individual skeet events, the finals of which will take place on Monday (June 17), the men’s selection is Mairaj Khan, Anant Naruka, this year’s Asian silver medallist (pictured left) and world-ranked 9, Kuldeep Sanyashi , Shiraz Sheikh and Arjun Thakar.
Three have been named for the skeet women event – Maheshwan Chauhan, 20-year-old Raiza Dhillon, the world junior silver medallist world-ranked 14, and Ganemat Sekhon, world-ranked 15.
Hosts Italy field the largest team, 19, including 40-year-old Diana Bacosi, the Rio 2016 gold medallist and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist in skeet women, and Gabriele Rossetti, the Rio 2016 skeet men champion.
The 13-strong United States team includes three-times Olympic skeet men champion Vincent Hancock.
Spain’s team includes the world no 1 in trap men and womnen, Alberto Fernandez and Fatima Galvez
Britain’s team of 15 includes trap men world record holder Nathan Hales and Tokyo 2020 trap men bronze medallist Matthew Coward-Holley
China field 12 athletes, and Egypt 11, including brothers Abdel and Asmy Mehelba in, respectively, the trap and skeet.
The World Cup will conclude on June 18 with the skeet mixed team event.