STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: When the Indian athletes will be striving to better country’s London Olympics medal haul of six at the Rio Games in August, at least 10 of them would be from the Indian Army.
Of the 10 Indian soldiers, three will be competing in the shooting events while seven have qualified for athletics events.
The country has won so far 66 Olympic quota place for the Olympic Games, to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 5th to 21st August.
Indian Army has laid out the road map for a concerted vision for maximum qualifications for the Rio Olympics with the aim of finishing strong at the podium. The training of the qualified sportsperson is being carried out through a scientific approach being planned and executed through Army Sports Institute, Pune and Army Marksmanship Unit, Mhow among other institutions under the flagship initiative of Mission Olympics, Defence Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence, S.D Goswami said.
Naik Subedar Jitu Rai, the 2014 Asian Games gold medallist shooter, has won the quota in 50m Air Pistol event and is presently training in AMU, Mhow. He had booked the quota place in September 2014, during the 51st ISSF World Championship by winning a silver medal.
Subedar Gurpreet Singh, a sapper, had last May during Third ISSF World Cup, won the quota in 10m Air Pistol category.
Naik Subedar Chain Singh, who has qualified for 50m Rifle three Position, is an infantry soldier from JAK Light Regiment, he booked quota place in August 2015 during Fourth ISSF World Cup by securing eighth position.
Havaldar Sandeep Singh from JAT Regiment will compete in in 50 km Walk. Havaldar Nitender Singh Rawat from Kumaon Regiment, Havildar Kheta Ram from JAT Regiment and Havildar Gopi T from the Regiment of Artillery will all compete in Full Marathon. All four are training at Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune.
Havildar Ganapathi will compete in 20km Walk. He is from Madras Regiment and qualified for the games during National Open Race Walking Championship by winning a silver medal.
Another Madras Regiment soldier Havildar Irfan KT qualified last month during the National Open Race Walking Championship by securing fourth position. Havildar Devender Singh from Rajputna Rifles Regiment qualified in 20 km Walk at the same event by securing sixth position.
