Bindra, Narang set for action in Asian Air Gun Championship

Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra will be the cynosure of all eyes while Gagan Narang and Chain Singh will also look to hit the bullseye as the Indian shooting squad begins its campaign in the 8th Asian Air Gun Championship tomorrow.

The opening day's action will feature Bindra, a gold medal winner at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Games bronze medallist Narang, and Chain Singh, in the 10-metre air rifle event at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. All the three shooters have secured quota places for next year's Rio Olympics.

The second day will see the likes of Apurvi Chandela in action in women's 10-metre air rifle. While Chandela has already earned an Olympic quota, the others are working hard towards their stated goal.

Besides Bindra and Narang, the country's other top shooters such as Vijay Kumar, Jitu Rai, Henna Sidhu and Ayonika Paul will be competing in the tournament. The Sep 27-30 event precedes the Asian Shooting Championship at Kuwait in November -- the last event for shooters from the continent to win quota places before the quadrennial sporting extravaganza begins in less than a year from now. "It will be good preparation for Rio. I'll be using this competition as preparation for future. I am training everyday. The range looks better, the lights are more constant," Bindra, India's lone individual Olympic gold medal winner, had said when asked about the significance of the tournament.