New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has officially announced the schedule for the final preparatory camps ahead of the highly anticipated Asian Games on Friday.

The high-intensity training program is designed to fine-tune the skills of the selected athletes and ensure peak performance across all shooting disciplines before they depart for the Asian Games, which will commence on September 19.

The preparatory camps will be divided across two premier training centers: the MP State Shooting Academy in Bhopal and the Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. The camps will ensure that athletes have access to the best facilities in the country, which will be tailored to their specific events.

Camp schedule and locations:

Rifle and Pistol: September 5 to 14 in Bhopal

Shotgun (Skeet): September 4 to 14 in New Delhi

Shotgun (Trap): September 10 to 18 in New Delhi

Speaking about the upcoming camps, NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said, “The 2026 Asian Games represent a monumental opportunity for our shooters to showcase their exceptional talent on the continental stage. These preparatory camps are a critical step in our journey to the podium. We have complete faith in our athletes and remain steadfast in our commitment to providing them with the world-class resources they need to bring glory to the nation.”

NRAI Secretary General Pawan Kumar said, “Organizing these camps concurrently across Bhopal and New Delhi ensures that our athletes can train in optimal environments specifically suited to their respective disciplines. The administrative team has worked tirelessly to seamlessly coordinate logistics, infrastructure, and support staff, allowing the squad to focus entirely on their final preparations.”

NRAI High Performance Director (HPD), Pierre Beauchamp, added, “At this crucial stage, our focus shifts from volume to precision, mental conditioning, and technical refinement. The structure of these final camps allows our sports science and coaching teams to closely monitor each athlete’s performance metrics and ensure they peak exactly when they step onto the range at the Asian Games.”

The shooting events at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya are scheduled to take place from September 17 to October 3 at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Range in Japan.

India’s shooting squad for Asian Games:

Rifle and Pistol

10m Air Rifle Men: Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil.

10m Air Rifle Women: Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Uttam Maskar, and Vidarsa K. Vinod.

50m Rifle 3 Positions Men: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar, and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil.

50m Rifle 3 Positions Women: Ashi Chouksey, Vidarsa K. Vinod, and Tilottama Sen.

10m Air Pistol Men: Kedarling B. Uchaganve, Kamaljeet, and Aakash Bharadwaj.

10m Air Pistol Women: Suruchi, Esha Singh, and Manu Bhaker.

25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men: Anish.

25m Sports Pistol Women: Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Rahi Sarnobat.

10m Air Rifle Mixed Team: Parth Rakesh Mane and Elavenil Valarivan.

10m Air Pistol Mixed Team: Kedarling B. Uchaganve and Suruchi.

Shotgun

Trap Men: Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi, and Shapath Bharadwaj.

Skeet Men: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, and Mairaj Ahmad Khan.

Trap Women: Neeru, Manisha Keer, and Aashima Ahlawat.

Skeet Women: Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon, and Maheshwari Chauhan.

Trap Mixed Team: Kynan Chenai and Neeru.

Skeet Mixed Team: Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal.

–IANS

sds/