ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)

Al Ain will wrap up the 2025 season of major Para shooting sport events with the traditional World Cup, which started on Tuesday and will run until November 4.

The Zayed Higher Organisation and Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club will welcome 213 athletes from 39 nations competing across 40 individual and team events in rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines.

Leading the host nation›s charge will be veterans Abdulla Sultan Alaryani and Para trap shooter Mohammed Alhebsi.

Alaryani, a two-time Paralympic champion, claimed the UAE's two gold medals at the 2022 World Championships in Al Ain (R6 and R7). He will compete in both events again, alongside the R3.

Alhebsi is wrapping up a remarkable season following his PT1 world title at the Para Trap World Championships in Brno, Czechia, in September. His victory, which came with a new world record, marked the first gold for UAE in Para Trap Worlds.

Slovakia's Filip Marinov is another Brno 2025 medallist – he grabbed bronze in the PT2 - competing in Al Ain in the Mixed Trap SG-L event.

The venue is familiar to many athletes, having previously hosted the WSPS World Championships in 2022 and several World Cups. India will field the largest delegation with 23 athletes, one more than the hosts. They are followed by China (20), Thailand (16) and Kazakhstan (12).

Among India›s strong squad are three Paris 2024 Paralympic medallists, including the *country's* only female Paralympic champion, Avani Lekhara.

A two-time gold medallist in the R2 – women›s 10m air rifle standing SH1, Lekhara will compete in that event as well as the R8 – women›s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1.

Rubina Francis, who won bronze in the P2 – women's 10m air pistol SH1 at Paris 2024, will also be in action in Al Ain.

Manish Narwal is one of the six silver medallists from Paris 2024 in Al Ain. Second place in the P1 – men's 10m air pistol SH1, he will compete in that event along with the P3 and P4.

Other Paris 2024 silver medallist competing at the Al Ain World Cup are:
Alexandre Galgani (Brazil), R5 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH2; Anna Benson (Sweden), R6 - mixed 50m rifle prone SH1; Radoslav Malenovsky (Slovakia), R3 - mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1; Vladimer Tchintcharauli (Georgia), R9 - mixed 50m rifle prone SH2; Yerkin Gabasov (Kazakhstan), R1 - men›s 10m air rifle standing SH1.