DOHA (Qatar): Qatar’s leading shooters hope to pick up Olympic quotas for the 2021 Tokyo Games ahead of the upcoming 2021 international events.
Six-time Olympian and three-time Dakar Rally-winner Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, and two-time Rashid Saleh Hamad, both skeet shooters, will be keen to pick a few ranking points and boost their World rankings which will help them to get a quota for the Olympics.
“I intend to take part in some of the events in Morocco, India, Italy and Korea and do well and pick up some points ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Yes, the seventh Olympics is very much on the cards and I have to work hard to get point which will be help in the ranking points,” Nasser told KhelUpdates.com.
Rashid, who was in top form at the recently-held Amir Cup with one gold and a silver, has lined up a few events in different part of Asia and Europe.
“I will be taking part in a number of international Grand Prix events. Part of the plan is to do well and gain points and help my Olympic quota qualification cause,” said the 34-year-old, who represented the country at the 2008 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Qatar has picked up one quota place with Mohammed Al Rumaihi in the Trap event at the Asian Shooting Championship held here.
Nasser said besides his motor sports schedule he will also compete at the Qatar Open Shotgun Championship in February, 2021.
“I will also be taking part in the Qatar Open Shotgun championship and also in the month of January I will be part of the Qatar Rally Cross Country championship,” added the 49-year-old, bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics.
With the entire sporting world passing through coronavirus pandemic, most of the shooting events were cancelled from March, but some of the events are likely to be held at the beginning of the New Year with the ISSF Grand Prix Shotgun at Rabat (Morocco) from 28 January to February 6, 2021.
The other upcoming events in which the Qataris are likely to take part include ISSF World Cup in Cairo (Egypt) from 22 February to March 5.
The World Cups in New Delhi (India) from 18 March to 29 March, Changwon, Korea from 16 April to 27 April and Lonato (Italy) from 7 May to 17 may will also see the Qataris in action.
Besides, Nasser and Rashid, Al Rumaihi will be another Tokyo-bound athlete who will be looking to tighten his game and pick a few points over the next months in the run up to the Olympics.
“Yes, I will be taking part in the a few events in 2021, nothing has been decided and confirmed yet, but hopefully things will be clear in the coming days,” said the 32-year-old.
360 Quota Places will be distributed to shooters from all over the world, to participate in 2021 Games.
Athletes will compete in 15 different shooting sport events, including 6 men, 6 women, as well as 3 mixed team events that will make debut in Tokyo.
