Shooter Vijayveer Sidhu clinches silver in Asian Olympic Qualifiers, secures spot at Paris Games

21-year-old Indian shooter Vijayveer Sidhu secured India's 17th Paris Games quota place by winning a silver medal in the men's 25m rapid-fire event at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta on January 13
Vijayveer's journey to earning the Paris Games quota wasn't solely dependent on the medal; he showcased exceptional skills during the qualification rounds. Qualifying for the final in fourth place with a score of 577, he demonstrated precision and composure throughout the event.

In the final, where four out of the six finalists could secure quota places, Vijayveer exhibited his prowess by shooting 28 in the elimination round, securing the silver medal. The gold went to Kazakhstan's Nikita Chiryukin with a score of 32 in a closely contested competition.

This achievement adds to India's strong presence in the upcoming  Paris Olympics. Vijayveer joins fellow countryman Anish Bhanwala in earning a coveted Paris berth in the 25m rapid-fire category. Anish had previously secured the Olympic quota with a bronze medal at the Asian Championship in Changwon, Korea, last year.

Rapid-fire pistol has historically been a strong event for India, with Vijay Kumar winning silver at the 2012 London Olympic Games. If both Vijayveer and Anish make it to the Paris Olympics, it will mark the first instance of two Indian shooters representing the country in the rapid-fire shooting category, signaling a new milestone in India's shooting sports history.

Indian shooters have now secured four Paris Olympics quota places in Jakarta, further adding to the nation's representation in the upcoming Games. Esha Singh (women's 10m air pistol), Varun Tomar (men's 10m air pistol), Rhythm Sangwan (women's 25m sports pistol), and Vijayveer Sidhu have all contributed to India's strong presence in the shooting events at the Paris Olympics.