India’s skeet shooters endured a challenging outing at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Tangier, Morocco, with none of the athletes able to break into the top eight and secure a place in the finals.
Among the contingent, Olympian Maheshwari Chauhan came closest to advancing, missing out narrowly in a tightly contested women’s field.
Competing at the Club Tangérois de Tir, the season-opening World Cup brought together a high-quality international lineup, making qualification for the finals particularly demanding. For India, returning as a full squad after a gap in international competition, the event served as both a test of readiness and a reminder of the standards required at the elite level.
Maheshwari Narrowly Misses the Cut
Maheshwari Chauhan’s campaign was the standout performance from the Indian contingent, even though it ultimately fell just short of a finals berth. She began strongly on Day 1, scoring 69 out of 75, keeping herself firmly in contention heading into the final two qualification rounds.
However, the margins at this level are unforgiving. In the fourth and fifth series, Maheshwari registered scores of 23 and 21, finishing with a total of 113. The cut-off for the final stood at 115, with Qatar’s Reem Ghanem Al-Sharshani claiming the last qualifying spot.
The two-point gap highlights both the competitiveness of the field and the fine margins that define outcomes in skeet shooting. A single additional hit in each of the final rounds could have altered the outcome significantly.
India’s women’s contingent also featured Darshana Rathore and Yashasvi Rathore, both of whom displayed glimpses of quality across the qualification rounds. Darshana delivered one of the best individual series by an Indian shooter in the competition, shooting a perfect 25 in her final round. That effort propelled her to a total score of 112, placing her just behind Maheshwari in 19th position.
Her ability to close strongly indicates composure under pressure, though earlier inconsistencies cost her a higher finish.
Yashasvi Rathore, meanwhile, finished with a score of 110, placing 23rd overall. Her final two rounds of 22 and 24 showed improvement, but like her teammate, she was unable to maintain the level required across all five series.
Areeba Khan and Mansi Raghuwanshi, competing for ranking points, both finished with scores of 112, reflecting a competitive showing even outside the main classification.
Men’s Squad Struggles for Consistency
In the men’s skeet event, India’s shooters found it difficult to break into the upper tier of the standings. Parampal Singh Guron emerged as the best-placed Indian, finishing 26th with a score of 117. Parampal’s performance showed late improvement, as he shot 23 and 24 in the final two series. However, the deficit from earlier rounds meant he was unable to challenge for a finals position.
Jyotiraditya Singh Sisodiya, making his senior international debut, finished 62nd with a score of 108. The experience of competing against top-level opposition will be valuable for his development, even if the result fell short of expectations. Veteran Man Singh, making a return to the international setup, finished 65th with a score of 105, indicating that match sharpness at this level will take time to regain.
Among those competing for ranking points, Sukhbir Singh Harika scored 113, while Harmehar Singh Lally finished with 102.
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The Tangier World Cup has underlined the depth and competitiveness of international skeet shooting. With Olympic and world champions in the field, qualification scores were consistently high, leaving little room for error. For India, the performances highlight a clear trend while the shooters are capable of producing high-quality rounds, maintaining consistency across all five series remains a challenge.
At this level, even minor fluctuations can result in significant drops in ranking. The difference between qualification and elimination often comes down to two or three targets, as seen in Maheshwari’s case.
With the skeet competition concluded, India’s focus now shifts to the trap events, scheduled to begin on March 31. The trap squad, featuring experienced Olympians and emerging talent, will look to deliver stronger results and build momentum for the season ahead.
While the absence of finalists may appear disappointing, the Tangier outing should be viewed in context. This is the first major international competition of the year, and for many shooters, it marks a return to high-level competition after a break. Maheshwari’s near miss, Darshana’s perfect round, and Parampal’s late surge all indicate that the building blocks are in place. The challenge now is to convert these flashes of quality into consistent performances.
As the international season progresses, India’s shooters will aim to bridge that final gap because at the elite level, precision is not just about hitting targets, but about doing so every single time.
