Trap events begin
New Delhi
After the skeet events concluded, focus now shifts to the trap competitions at the ISSF World Championship Shotgun 2025 in Athens. The second phase begins Wednesday at the Malakasa Shooting Range, featuring six Indian shooters.
In the women’s trap, India is represented by Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat, and Kirti Gupta. Dhanda, World No.8 and Asian Champion, has shown strong form this season with a fourth-place finish at the Lonato World Cup and a top-six result in the Buenos Aires Mixed Team event. Ahlawat, an Asian Championship bronze medalist, and Gupta complete India’s women’s trio. The event features 80 shooters, including defending World Champion Lin Yi-Chun of Chinese Taipei, World No.1 Lada Denisova, and Paris Olympic champion Adriana Ruano.
In the men’s trap, India fields Zoravar Singh Sandhu (World No.12), former Junior World Champion Vivaan Kapoor, and Bhowneesh Mendiratta, who won silver at the Asian Championship in Kazakhstan. The men’s field includes 141 athletes, led by reigning World Champion Giovanni Cernogoraz of Croatia, Olympic gold medalist Nathan Hales of Great Britain, and top-ranked shooters like Mauro De Filippis (Italy) and William Hinton (USA).
The qualification rounds begin Wednesday with 50 targets per shooter, followed by another 50 on Thursday. The final 25 targets on Friday will determine the top six in each category who will compete for World Championship medals.
India aims to build on strong performances in skeet and hopes its shooters will challenge for podium finishes in both men’s and women’s trap events.
