"I would love to meet Neeraj Chopra" - Indian shooter Raiza Dhillon's heartfelt wish during the Paris Olympics 2024
The 20-year-old Indian skeet shooter Raiza Dhillon is eager to catch up with reigning Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra at the Athletes Village during the Paris Olympics 2024, which is scheduled to start on July 26.
Notably, Neeraj Chopra scripted history after clinching the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in the men’s javelin throw event. He emerged as the first Indian athlete to bag a gold medal in athletics in Olympics history.
“I would love to meet Neeraj Chopra at the Athletes Village. I am a big fan of his. He is an inspiration to us all. I would love to meet and get advice from him,” Raiza Dhillon told the media.
Raiza became the first female to cut an Olympic skeet event. She secured her quota in the women’s skeet event after bagging a silver medal at the Asian Shotgun Championships in January 2024.
Raiza Dhillon confirmed her Paris 2024 spot after winning the trials
Later, in the four-stage trials conducted by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) in New Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, Raiza confirmed her Paris Olympics 2024 spot by winning the trials. Another skeet shooter Maheshwari Chauhan will complete the women’s skeet team at the mega-event.
Dhillon initiated her international career with Junior India, competing at the World Championships in 2021. Later, in 2022, she was part of three skeet events - individual, team, and mixed at the World Championships in Osijek, Croatia, bagging a gold medal in the team event.
In 2023, she bagged a silver medal in the individual skeet event at the World Championships in Changwon, Korea. She was also part of the Junior World Cup campaign at Suhl, Germany in individual and mixed team events in skeet.
At the Asian Championships 2024 in Kuwait, Raiza Dhillon bagged a gold medal in the skeet women’s team event. Maheshwari Chauhan and Ganemat Sekhon were also part of the skeet women’s team. The mixed skeet team secured the bronze medal in the same tournament.
Shooting at the Paris Olympics 2024 is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 5. Indian shooters managed to grab 21 of the 24 possible quotas, making it India’s best-ever haul in shooting at any edition of the Olympics, surpassing 15 managed from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.