NEW DELHI, Dec 1: A record 16,000-plus athletes across pistol, rifle and shotgun events have qualified for the National Shooting Championships, which began on Monday, breaking the record of the previous edition where over 13,500 had made the grade for the annual competition.
While the shotgun competition began at the Karni Singh Ranges in Tughlaqabad on Monday, the pistol and rifle events will begin at Delhi and Bhopal respectively on December 11.
Over the next one month, competitions in all three disciplines will be conducted in seven categories — Super Masters (70 years and above), Senior Masters (60-70 years), Masters (45-60 years), Seniors (Open), Juniors (21 years), Youth (19 years or before), Sub-Youth (16 years or before).
“Regardless of the category or categories under which the shooters have registered, each athlete is permitted to shoot only once throughout the competition but their scores will be counted towards any other category they have registered. The competition will also feature dedicated categories for Para-athletes and Deaf athletes,” said a National Rifle Association of India release.
“The athletes who took part in the 66th and 67th NSCC (Nationals), Zonal Championships 2025, 34th GV Mavlankar Championship 2025, India Open competitions 2025 and 27th All India Kumar Surendra Singh Championships 2025 and have achieved qualifying scores are allowed to participated in the 68th NSCC.”
The Nationals are also important for the leading shooters of the country as their scores will be counted when the Indian team for next year’s international season is picked.
A total of 40 teams, representing all the states and Union Territories, armed forces and institutions like the ONGC and Railways, will also compete in the month-long Nationals. (PTI)
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