|
|
|
The first firearms were made in the late 15th century, but it was only in the 19th century that shooting became a sport. For all events, the
principle is the same to hit a still or moving target using a firearm. In the early 19th century in England, the Old Hats Club developed a system of shooting at a running target. Colt invented the revolver cylinder in 1836, and this technological advance made shooting popular. Soon, the
first rules for shooting competitions were written, and the first shooting associations were founded in Switzerland. Around 1860, live pigeons, used up to then as targets, were replaced by clay pigeons propelled by mechanical pullers. Shooting for men was included in the first modern
Olympics in Athens in 1896. |
|
It was not until 1984 that women's shooting became an Olympic event. In 1907, the Union internationale de tir (International Shooting Union) was founded; in 1988, this organization became the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). World championships take place every four years, alternating with the Olympics. Shooting competitions are divided into three main categories: shotgun, rifle and pistol. We give below some interesting details about shotgun.
|
|
|
ShotGun
|
|
In this event, the shooter uses shotgun to destroy saucer shaped clay pigeons in flight. The number of pullers and targets, how the targets are released, and the number of shots per target vary in the trap, skeet and double trap events. In competition, shooters go to each shooting station one after the other. When the shooter gives the order to release the target (“Pull!”), a microphone placed at the feet electronically transmits the order to automatic or manual pullers.
|
|
|
|
Shooting Range
- Olympic Trench (TRAP)
Fifteen pullers are placed in groups of 3. Nine different release grids control the angle and speed of the clay pigeons. The competition involves 125 pigeons for men (5 rounds of 25 over 2 days) and 75 for women (3 rounds of 25). The 6 best shooters go to a final round of 25 clay pigeons. The 5 shooters on the firing line move to the next shooting station after each round. The points are calculated by counting destroyed clay pigeons (1 point per pigeon).
|
|
|
|
Rathore Delivers
After Athens the gunners are still doing India proud. Just about some months ago Olympic silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
returned to world class action helping India to win the team gold in double trap in the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in
Melbourne. Rathore scored 93 points and team mate Ronjan Sondhi 80 as India won the gold with a total of 173 out of 200. The duo piped hosts Australia (169) and England (166) who ended up with the silver and bronze medals respectively.Olympic silver medalist Rathore
defeated his coach Russell Mark and his partner Tom Turner to win gold in the men's double-trap shooting event.Indian teams also picked up gold medals in women's sport rifle three position and men's rapid fire pistol. |
|
 |
|
|
In rifle three position, Anjali Vedpatak Bhagwat (570) and Kuheli Gangulee (564) tallied 1134/1200 to clinch the gold ahead of Malaysia (1125) and Australia (1122). Honours in rapid pistol went to Pemba Tamang (565) and Ram Kishan Yadav (558) who totaled 1123/1200. Australia (1100) and Canada (1080) ended up with silver and bronze respectively.
India narrowly missed a fourth gold when the women's air pistol team missed the gold by a whisker. Shweta Chaudhry (389) and Sarvesh Tomar (374) ended with a total of 763/800 to settle for the silver behind Australia (764). Malaysia with 746 points won the bronze. India has now won a total of 13 medals including six gold, five silver and two bronze medals.
|
|
|
|
Rathore wants more visibility for Indian shooters
Olympic silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore called for more visibility of Indian shooters in International shooting events to take the sport to the masses. Giving the example of cricket, Rathore suggested it could be achieved by having camera crews at various competitions abroad. Teams like Italy and Sweden have their own camera crews accompanying their teams at international competitions. The footage thus produced is provided to television channels for live or deferred telecast.
“More visibility to the shooters will bring in more sponsorship.” Rathore requested the National Rifle Association of India to look into this issue. NRAI Secretary General Baljit Singh Sethi was receptive to the idea and said the federation would consider the suggestion. Praising the new venture, Rathore felt that such efforts will go a long way in helping more people take up the sport. “There are many myths about shooting - like it is very expensive, it needs lot of space and is only for a select class of the society. This is the first step to make shooting more popular and reach out to more people.
There were also a lot of schools converting one of their class rooms into a 10m indoor range. Children are having fun at these ranges as it has become a fantastic sport which can be enjoyed by the 10-year-old as well as those who are in their sixties. Rathore is confident that the future of Indian shooting is great and challenges any other sport in India to do better than shooting in the Olympics. Looking at his own progress this season, Rathore said the defeat to his coach Russell Mark at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Melbourne last month was a great lesson.
|
|
|
 |
|
Anjali settles for silver:
When Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat was going great guns in her pet event 10-metre Air rifle it looked as if she had finally put her Athens Olympics performance behind. Shooting with her usual calm and composure, the Indian was all set to add one more gold to the already swelling Indian kitty. But it was not to be as she lost her way in the final and had to be content with a silver in the Commonwealth Shooting.
Anjali finished with a total of 498.7 points (398+100.7) in the individual events behind Singapore's Jingna Zang 500.1 (396+104,1), Australia's Suzan MacCready claimed the bronze with a score of 492.6 (391+101.6). |
|
|
|
Anjali was two points clear of Jingna on 398. But the Indian had fewer 10 plus scores in the finals and this allowed the Singapore girl to stage a good comeback. Meanwhile, India continued their impressive show in the team events adding two more gold medals to the kitty. With this India's total medal count has gone up to 16 including eight gold, six silver and two bronze medals. In men's centre fire pistol, veterans Ashok Pandit (569) and Jaspal Rana (585) combined to give India the gold with a total of 1154 points out of 1200. Australia (1136) and Wales (1121) won the silver and bronze medals respectively. The other team gold came from men's free rifle three position through Sushil Ghale (1147) and Sanjeev Rajput (1132) who set a new meet record of 2279/2400.
Government's Law has come like a shot in the arm:
The Order issued by the Union Commerce Ministry makes air rifles and pistols, the rudimentary weapons for all beginners, easily accessible. It has the power to change the face of the sport and take it to a higher level. Now all one needs to do to own an air weapon is register with a rifle club or State/District associations. In the past there were shooters who could afford an imported weapon but couldn't buy due to the restriction. Now things will be easy.
|
|
|
|
My
Point Of View
|
|
|
Junior World Cup - Hockey
It was a sad commentary to learn that the Indian hockey juniors, after having given a commendable performance at the Junior World Cup in Holland came a cropper by the umpire's decision. The incident that came under my observation was the play off match against Spain for the bronze. In the 63rd minute of the second half when Sandeep Singh's free hit zipped into the Spanish striking circle D. Raja positioned perfectly in the middle, saw the ball hit a Spanish stick, rise and in the same fluid motion smacked it into the
goal. However, the Spanish players stunned by this reversal protested and surrounded the umpires and got the decision reversed after the goal was awarded. |
|
 |
|
|
Since when have players' protests become the basis of changing umpire's decisions?
With this controversial decision India was robbed of their bronze medal. It has become a sad state of affairs for the umpires who officiate on behalf of the International Hockey Federation. They not only engage themselves in controversial decisions and bow to players' demands - but also bring the game to disrepute.
|
|
|
 |
|
And The Olympics 2012
Go To ….. London
In my opinion - it was the most keenly-fought bidding contest in recent years which brought to an end the 18-month race to win the host contract for the 2012 Games. London won a two-way fight with Paris by 54 votes to 50 at the IOC Meeting, after bids from Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated earlier. It was interesting to note that Paris had been odds-on favorites throughout the campaign but London's hopes were raised after an impressive presentation by bid Chairman and Olympic medalist Lord Sebastian Coe, who took over as bid chief in May 2004.
|
|
|
|
He led the campaign with style, giving it momentum and catching the imagination of the IOC members. He highlighted with vigour and passion the city's multicultural appeal, the passion of its people for sport and the social and economic legacies as authentic reasons to host the Games.
|
|
|
|
Email
this article
|
|
|