CHENNAI: Ria Rajeshwari Kumari is still high on emotions, returning from the final of the ISSF World Championship event happening in Azerbaijan. The past few hours seem a blur to her as she tries to describe how she is feeling. After all, she had just earned the country’s seventh 2024 Paris Olympic quota by finishing fifth in the trap women event. Rajeshwari also became the second trap shooter ever after Shagun Chowdhary to earn an Olympic quota in women’s trap category.
“I am feeling (laughs), I am still on top of the world,” she told this daily. “It still hasn’t sunk in at all. I was very nervous because it was my first final. I cannot even remember what it was like during the event. I tried to keep things calm and simple and just happy that I have secured a quota for the country.”
The 31-year-old had been consistent through the Worlds and Thursday was no different as she went into the finals placed third (120/125). In the final, she had three series of 24, 25, 24, went down to 22 before finishing with a perfect 25 in the last qualification round. China’s Chun Yi Lin topped the event with 40 out of 50 shots, while Italy’s Jessica Rossi came second with a score of 39. Germany’s Kathrin Murche (28/40) won the bronze medal.
Daughter of legendary shotgun shooter and OCA acting president Randhir Singh, Rajeshwari had been to every Olympics with her father who was the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal in Asian Games (1978). And now, there is a possibility that she might be travelling with the Indian contingent to the Paris Olympics next year.
“My father is very happy, he is over excited. It (Olympics) is huge. It is everyone’s dream. Hopefully, fingers crossed,” she said.
Rajeshwari’s father Randhir Singh, former Indian Olympic Association secretary general and an Olympian, said it was a proud moment for the family.
“I would like to welcome her to the Olympian club,” he said. Her participation at Olympics though will depend on her final selection. “Since she is competing in the Asian Games this win will give her a lot of confidence.”
Apart from Rajeshwari, Mehuli Ghosh in women’s 10m air rifle, Akhil Sheoran in men’s 50m Rifle 3-Positions and Sift Kaur Samra in women’s 50m rifle have secured a quota in the ongoing Worlds.
So far, the India shooters have secured as many as seven Olympic quotas with Bhowneesh Mendiratta (men’s trap), Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil (men’s 10m air rifle) and Swapnil Kusale (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions) being the other three having done so last year.
