Shooter Robiul, coach Sharmin off to India

Shooter Robiul Islam and coach Sharmin Akter left Dhaka on Monday afternoon for India to take part in the Asian Shooting Championships, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 2 to 14, after uncertainty over their participation was finally resolved.

Doubts had surrounded Robiul’s participation following the government’s decision to withdraw the cricket team from the ICC T20 World Cup in India over security concerns. However, the Ministry of Youth and Sports later permitted the shooter and his coach to travel after being satisfied with the security measures put in place by the host nation.

The championships will mark Robiul’s first international competition since his appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old, Bangladesh’s top rifle shooter, will compete only in the 10m air rifle event on February 6. He was also supposed to take part in the mixed rifle event alongside Shaira Arefin, but she did not join the national training camp that began in early January.

Following nearly three weeks of preparation, Robiul is aiming to qualify for the eight-shooter final. He previously won a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle event at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal in 2019.

Coach Sharmin said Robiul has been scoring between 628 and 631 points in practice sessions.

“If he can maintain his practice scores and improve slightly in New Delhi, Robiul will have a good chance of reaching the final,” said Sharmin, an SA Games gold medallist who recently completed an ISSF D licence and a master’s degree in physical education.