How did Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024?
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar is set to compete in his second Olympic Games at the Paris Olympics 2024. He is one of the few Indian shooters who competed at the Tokyo Olympics and is now competing again at the Paris Olympics.
Aishwary was one of India's best-performing shooters at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and although he didn't win any medal, he was able to manage a deemed quota for himself. He finished 21st with a score of 1167 in the 50m air rifle 3 positions event.
During the first stage of Olympic selection trials, Aishwary shot an underwhelming 576. However, he dominated the next four stages, recording scores of 595, 590 and 591 to top the charts at the trials. He averaged a final score of 593 to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024 in men's 50m air rifle 3 positions.
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar defeated Olympic quota holders Swapnil Singh and Akhil Sheoran during the trials. While the former joined him on the team after placing second, the latter didn't qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Can Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar win a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024?
Aishwary Pratap will have a strong chance of winning a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 if he can be at his best form. The 23-year-old is consistent and strong in all three positions.
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar broke the world record with a score of 466.4 during the national selection trials in February 2024. Although that record was overtaken later, it does show that he is capable of winning a medal in Paris. During the Tokyo Olympics, the gold medal in the men's 50m air rifle 3 positions was won with a score of 466, 0.4 points less than Aishwary’s previous world record.
Having already competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Aishwary won't be feeling the nerves as much as last time. He also won medals at the ISSF World Championships and will be carrying India's hopes of shooting gold in Paris.