It’s a long, winding road from missing a selection by a single point to standing on the continental stage eight years later. Ahvar Rizvi, the 26-year-old from Mahalgaon, Meerut, has finally earned his place in the 2026 Asian Games men's Trap squad. He joins Kynan Chenai and Shapath Bharadwaj, the latter being a junior bronze medallist. For Rizvi, this isn't just a team selection; it's the redemption arc he didn't know he was writing.
The break came in 2018. Rizvi had just won the junior Double Trap title at the World Championships in Changwon. He was the hottest young prospect in the country. Then came the selection math. One point. That’s all that separated him from the 2018 Asian Games team. "I was very sad because there is a competition once every four years," Rizvi told TOI Sports. The heartbreak was compounded when Double Trap was removed from the international program shortly after, forcing him to pivot to Trap in 2019.
Learning a new discipline while trying to rebuild his career is no small feat. Rizvi struggled for years. He missed selection again in 2024 and 2025. At one point, he quit shooting entirely. "There was a point in between when I quit because it was not happening," he admitted. But his coach, Vikram Singh Chopra, refused to let him go. The support kept him in the game, even if the results didn't immediately follow.
The logistical hurdles were just as steep. Rizvi didn't have his own Trap gun for most of this transition. He competed in nationals and trials for a full year using a gun borrowed from teammate Lakshya Sheoran, an Asian Games silver medallist. "This gun is not mine. This is my friend Lakshya’s gun," Rizvi said. He recently acquired an Italian-made stock, which he says has brought noticeable improvement. His 2026 season has seen him finish 39th in Almaty and 47th in Lonato, but the selection trials finally delivered the result he’d been chasing.
Now, the focus shifts to the target. Rizvi enters his first Asian Games with a clear mindset. "I am going to play for India. I will keep India's flag high there," he said. The next challenge is converting this hard-won spot into a medal. The squad heads to the Games soon, and for Rizvi, the wait is officially over.