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Elavenil Valarivan is excited about the inaugural Shooting League of India, which will run from 20 Nov to 2 Dec.
Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan (PTI)
Anticipation is building nationwide for the inaugural Shooting League of India (SLI), launched by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). Indian rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan, who recently won bronze at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, expressed her enthusiasm for the SLI announcement.
The first season will run from 20 November to 2 December. The tournament will comprise mixed team events in 10m and 25m pistol, 10m and 50m 3 positions rifle, and trap and skeet shotgun, as determined by the NRAI Technical Committee.
Six to eight teams will be divided into two pools for the league stage. Players will be categorised into four tiers – Elite Champions, World Elite, National Champions, and Junior & Youth Champions – to ensure a blend of experience and emerging talent.
“It is a game-changing moment because this is something that is happening for the first time in our sport and I am really looking forward to it. I am sure every athlete out there would be excited about the league,” said Elavenil, who set a new national qualification record, with a score of 635.9.
“The level of competition (in the league) is going to be very high and that would help us when we are unitedly competing against the other nations. This is going to be a really competitive environment and a good push to all the athletes,” she added.
Talking about the participation of overseas athletes, Elavenil said, “I have always been looking forward to learning from other athletes and this would be a great chance to incorporate what the other athletes have been doing. Being in one team, you would be able to share those ideologies easier. The younger athletes, the new athletes would definitely get to learn a lot from the senior athletes. Even I am looking forward to learn from all the other athletes”
The two-time Olympian believes the SLI will significantly boost the sport’s profile and recognition.
“The league is definitely going to give a huge boost to shooting as a sport in the common public. When the league portrays the actual setup of the sport, I think it would be easier for the public to relate to the sport and hopefully more athletes will be taking up the sport professionally,” she said.
“As it is going to be on such a wide scale and we are going to have foreign athletes in the team, so, I think this will definitely reach more to the young kids who are looking forward to the sport, to learn the sport, to get to know about it,” she concluded.
(With inputs from IANS)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov… Read More
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