Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Senior trap shooter and Asian Games gold medallist Prithviraj Tondaiman made it to the squad ahead of quota winner Bhowneesh Mendiratta as the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the shotgun squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics on June 18.
Apart from Prithviraj, Rajeshwari Kumari will be representing India in Women’s Trap. Anantjeet Singh Naruka will be India's sole men's Skeet shooter while Raiza Dhillon and Maheshwari Chauhan in women's Skeet, complete the five quota places that the Shotgun squad has earned.
Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, Prithviraj Tondaiman said, "No one from Tamil Nadu has been selected for the shooting competition so far and it is a proud moment for me to be selected. Participating in the Olympics is a big dream for sportspersons, especially winning a medal for India is a big dream."
The 37-year-old is confident that he will win a medal for India in the 2024 Paris Olympics which will be held from July 26 to August 11. Speaking further, he said that the five people from India have been selected in different categories.
"Rajeshwari Kumari is also selected along with me in my category," he quipped. He said that he will start training for the Olympic Games in Italy in the first week of July, and he will go to Paris 10 days before the Olympic Games to participate in the quadrennial games.
Tondaiman, who has won 2 World Cup medals in shooting, added, "Only 30 players participate in the Olympics but in the World Games there are more than 300 players and I have played with them and won medals. It is my dream to win a medal in the Olympics and I will make that dream come true. I have been working hard and preparing for the Olympics."
According to Tondaiman, he has prepared a training place in the Pudukkottai district as per his father's guidance and he is being trained by an Australian coach.
"I also trained there for the World Championships that have been held. I was able to win world-class competitions only because of my training at a gun training centre," the senior shooter maintained.
He said that since participating in world-class competitions, he is also training with a psychologist and that has benefitted him during the competition.
"Since there is no structure for gun training in Tamil Nadu, I have prepared a shooting training site at my place," he quipped.
He also said that Tamil Nadu will be the leading state in the country in terms of shooters if the state government help the players who are struggling financially.
"Also, anyone can easily succeed if they work hard. If you have faith and don't give up, you can achieve anything. In India, next to cricket, shooting competitions are popular," he asserted.
He also batted for Tamil Nadu hosting more shooting competitions in the state to give a platform to budding shooters. "If world-class training facilities are prepared in Tamil Nadu, world-class competitions can be held, if such competitions take place, Tamil Nadu competitors will get a good opportunity to discuss with international competitors and compete with them, and if such competitions take place, world-class players will be selected from Tamil Nadu, he concluded.
