Srinagar, Sept 17 (KNS): Fourteen-year-old shooter Sheikh Zainab Iqbal from Soura here has qualified for the national level in the 50M Rifle Prone event, achieving the feat despite the lack of a dedicated professional 50M rifle training facility in Jammu and Kashmir.
Zainab, who is currently training at Mission Olympics Shooting Academy Jammu (MOSAJ), secured the qualification after winning a gold medal in the 50M Rifle Prone event at the 15th J&K UT Shooting Championship conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Rifle Association (JKRA).
Her performance at the UT-level championship paved the way for her qualification at the national level in the discipline.
According to the release, Zainab and her parents had to arrange training opportunities outside the Union Territory due to the non-availability of a specialised 50M rifle range in J&K.
She initially trained at an NCC range and later travelled to Chandigarh for specialised training to prepare for higher-level competitions.
The release said the efforts of her parents in facilitating training outside J&K, along with her own commitment and perseverance, contributed to her progress in the sport.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Zainab has also become the first athlete associated with MOSAJ to compete and qualify at the national level in the 50M Rifle discipline, according to the release.
Her qualification has highlighted the challenges faced by young shooters in J&K who pursue specialised shooting events in the absence of adequate infrastructure, it said.
The achievement has also renewed calls from members of the shooting fraternity for the establishment of a dedicated professional 50M rifle shooting range in Jammu and Kashmir, which would allow local athletes to undergo specialised training without travelling outside the Union Territory.
Coaches, parents and members of the J&K shooting fraternity have congratulated Zainab on the achievement and expressed hope that her success would encourage more youngsters to take up competitive shooting.
Zainab now aims to build on her national-level qualification and compete at higher levels with continued training and preparation.(KNS)