India's Shooting Stars Lead Day 2 Asian Games Medal Hunt
India's medal hopes on the second day of the Asian Games rest heavily on world-class shooters in the 10m air rifle and skeet events, with swimmer Srihari
India's contingent seeks to add to its medal tally on September 21, the second day of competition at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The nation's primary prospects lie on the shooting ranges, with secondary hopes in the swimming pool.
Shooting: 10m Air Rifle Trio
The men's 10m air rifle event features a formidable Indian trio. The team includes former world champion Rudrankksh Patil, Olympian Arjun Babuta, and experienced international campaigner Divyansh Singh Panwar. They are considered heavy contenders to challenge East Asian powerhouses China and South Korea for the team gold.
The qualification round, which also serves as the team final, begins at 6:15 AM IST. Individually, all three shooters possess the scoring depth needed to breach the 630-plus threshold required to reach the top eight. The individual final is scheduled for 9:00 AM IST.
Shotgun Skeet Competitions
Shotgun action starts at 6:30 AM IST with the qualification for the men's and women's skeet events. In the men's competition, Hangzhou 2022 silver medallist Anant Jeet Singh Naruka leads the Indian challenge. He is joined by seasoned competitor Gurjoat Siingh Khangura.
On the women's side, the team features Paris 2024 mixed skeet finalist Maheshwari Chauhan and young talent Raiza Dhillon. Both will aim to stay near the top of the leaderboard during the qualifiers.
Swimming Outside Chance
In the pool, Olympian Srihari Nataraj headlines India's challenge in the men's 50m backstroke. The report describes this as Nataraj's "pet sprint event," where races are decided by margins of hundredths of a second. His performance in the morning preliminary heats, starting from 6:30 AM IST, will determine if he can reach the final scheduled from 1:30 PM IST onwards. He faces stiff competition from swimmers representing Japan and China.
Other Indian swimmers in action on Day 2 include Akash Mani in the men's 50m freestyle and Danush Suresh in the men's 50m breaststroke. The Indian quartet will also compete in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay.
The day's schedule for key Indian medal events is as follows:
| Event | Athletes | Start Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| Men's 10m Air Rifle Team Final/Qualification | Rudrankksh Patil, Arjun Babuta, Divyansh Singh Panwar | 6:15 AM |
| Men's & Women's Skeet Qualification | Anant Jeet Singh Naruka, Gurjoat Siingh Khangura, Maheshwari Chauhan, Raiza Dhillon | 6:30 AM |
| Men's 10m Air Rifle Individual Final | Rudrankksh Patil, Arjun Babuta, Divyansh Singh Panwar | 9:00 AM |
| Swimming Heats (incl. Men's 50m Backstroke) | Srihari Nataraj, Akash Mani, Danush Suresh | 6:30 AM |
| Swimming Finals Session | Srihari Nataraj (if qualified) | 1:30 PM |
