India’s 30‑member shooting squad is staring at a 50‑km commute to the ranges in Aichi‑Nagoya—an uphill climb that starts before the first shot is fired.
The senior coach, who stayed in a hotel far from the venue, said he arrived in Japan with high expectations, only to find the hotel‑range distance turning into a daily grind. “I didn’t see any hotels in the vicinity of the shooting range,” he told PTI. “If there were, we would have reached early.”
The 50‑km trek forces the crew to start training at dawn, spend hours on the road, and then return tired for night practice. Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic bronze medallist, admits it is “a real problem” that could sap focus when the competition starts.
Long drives are part of shooting culture, but the coach points out that even at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games the range was an hour away. “Shooting ranges are far from main habitation, so it’s part of the sport,” he said. Yet the distance here feels “too much” for a team that has to keep its edge.
The National Rifle Association of India has been briefed, but no official fixes have surfaced. The coach says he’s waiting for the federation to push the organizers for better accommodation.
With the first shooting event slated for May 28, India’s squad will face China’s top shooters in the 10‑m air rifle final. The outcome of those early matches could set the tone for the rest of the Games.