51st ISSF World Shooting Championship kicks off in Granada

Over 2000 athletes coming from 94 countries are participating in the competition, held at the CEAR de Tiro Olimpico Juan Carlos I in Las Gabias, Granada.

Apart from Bindra, Indian shooting stalwarts like Gagan Narang, Vijay Kumar, Heena Sindhu, Joyddep Karmakar, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Hariom Singh, Anjali Bhagwat, Shweta Chaudhary and Rahi Sarnobat will throw down the gauntlet against the best shooters in the world in the first of many qualifying events for the Rio Olympic Games 2016.

The World Championship, the ISSF's largest competition, takes place every four years. The previous championship was held in Munich, Germany, 2010, and the next one  being scheduled for Changwon, Korea, in 2018.

It features 15 Olympic shooting events (nine for men, six for women) and 39 non-Olympic events including junior events.

64 Olympic quota places will be awarded during the the 51st ISSF World Championship, which is indeed the first Shooting sport qualifier for Rio 2016. The competition will end on 20 September.

India will start their campaign on September 8 with Bindra taking centre stage in the 10m Air Rifle.

According to the organisers, The best shooting sport athletes of the world are taking part in the championship.

Olympic and Continental Champions, title defenders, World Cup heroes, senior experts and YOG medallists-- are all competing to become the new World Champions and to secure a ticket to Brazil.

“The ISSF is sure that participants from all over the world will find the ideal conditions for competing and to enjoy this extraordinary event here in Granada” The ISSF President, Olegario Vazquez Raña said at the opening ceremony.

For the first time in the history of the ISSF, Junior finals will be staged during this World Championship.

“Junior finals are a new feature of our Championship, that will increase the popularity of Shooting sport worldwide for the new generations,” the ISSF President said.