India begin LA 2028 quota hunt at ISSF World Championship in Doha
India’s top shooters begin their bid for Los Angeles 2028 Olympic quota places at the ISSF World Championship 2026, which opened at the Lusail Shooting Complex in Doha on November 1, with medal events running from November 3 to 13.
Doha is the first qualification event of the LA 2028 cycle and the biggest of the series, with 36 Olympic quota places on offer, three in each of the 12 individual Olympic events; shooting offered no quota places at the recent Asian Games, making this India’s first chance to secure spots for Los Angeles. India arrived in Doha after winning 15 shooting medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, six of them in shotgun. Neeru Dhanda won India’s first women’s trap individual gold at the Asian Games, also claiming mixed team gold and a team silver, while India’s skeet squads returned with three bronze medals.
Neeru Dhanda leads India’s shotgun contingent, which includes 2025 World Championship bronze medallist Zoravar Singh Sandhu in trap and Asian Games medallists Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Raiza Dhillon and Parinaaz Dhaliwal in skeet. India have entered three shooters in every individual Olympic event and two pairs in each of the four mixed team events. The depth in shotgun follows the country’s strong showing in that discipline at Aichi-Nagoya.
Two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker heads India’s pistol squad, which also features Asian Games air pistol mixed team champions Suruchi and Kamaljeet. The rifle unit is led by Elavenil Valarivan and Himanshu Dhillon, both individual silver medallists in Aichi-Nagoya. The National Rifle Association of India has named a 54-member contingent for the championships, with the squad described as being led by Manu Bhaker and Neeru Dhanda.
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), said, “Our preparation this season has been built around this moment. The team carried its Asian Games momentum straight into a focused national camp, and our shooters arrive in Doha sharp and ready. “Quota places won here give India the longest possible runway to plan for Los Angeles, and I am confident this team will make the most of that opportunity.”
NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh said, “Every athlete in this squad has trained to a clear performance benchmark. Our camp at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range was run in phases by discipline, so rifle, pistol and shotgun shooters each had dedicated time with their coaches, with performance data guiding the work. “We have prepared to be in contention in all 16 of our events and to start the LA 2028 campaign on the front foot.”
A later line in the event information states, “A total of 26 Olympic quota places will be on offer, three in each of the 12 individual Olympic events.” Each nation may secure only one quota place per individual event, meaning India can win at most 12 quota spots at the Doha championships.
Medal competition runs from November 3 to 13 at the Lusail Shooting Complex in Doha, where India’s 54-member squad will pursue Olympic quota places that would open the planning window for Los Angeles 2028.