Much before Manu Bhaker won her two medals at the Paris Olympics, shooting fans had already earmarked her for medal glory. This is among several other fascinating information discovered while analysing indianshooting.com’s Fantasy Shooting data.
In a historic move for the shooting sport community, indianshooting.com launched the world’s first Fantasy Game for shooting sport with the 2024 Paris Olympics. Called Fantasy Shooting, the game allows fans to draft their favorite shooters into virtual teams, earning points based on their performance.
With 348 participants taking part, the platform not only strengthened the community spirit but also highlighted the top fan favourites and their performances.
10m Air Pistol: Manu Bhaker Reigns Supreme
Manu Bhaker was the dominant choice in the 10m Air Pistol, with 162 participants (46.6%) including her in their teams. Bhaker lived up to expectations, securing a bronze medal and rewarding her supporters generously.
Rhythm Sangwan and Sarabjot Singh were very close in terms of team selections. Rhythm (87) had just 3 more selections than Sarabjot (84). However, those who picked Sarabjot (9th position, 12 points) earned twice as many points as teams with Rhythm (15th position, 6 points).
25m Pistol: Everyone Won Points
Manu Bhaker continued to be a favorite in the 25m Pistol as well with 130 selections (37.4%). Once again she did not disappoint finishing 4th and earning her teams 17 points.
This event, however, saw an equitable distribution of fan favourites with both Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer Sidhu also getting 86 and 82 team picks, that’s 25% and 24% respectively. Esha Singh got 50 selections (14%).
Fans earned points for each of these shooters as all of them finished above the 20th position. Vijayveer was at 9th, narrowly missing a place in the finals. While Anish finished 13th.
10m Air Rifle: Arjun Babuta Takes the Spotlight
Arjun Babuta emerged as a crowd favourite in the 10m Air Rifle event, with 148 out of 348 participants (42.5%) selecting him for their teams. His popularity was well-deserved, as he secured fourth place, narrowly missing a medal. Babuta’s performance earned his supporters 17 points, doubling to 34 points for those who designated him as their captain.
On the other hand, Ramita Jindal, with only 62 selections (17.8%), proved to be a hidden gem, rewarding her fans with 14 points after finishing seventh.
50m Rifle Three Positions: The Rise of Swapnil Kusale
In the 50m Rifle Three Positions, Sift Kaur Samra was the favourite, chosen by 153 participants (44%). Aishwary Tomar followed closely with 126 picks (36.2%).
However, it was Swapnil Kusale who turned the tables. With just 26 selections (7.5%), Kusale clinched the bronze medal, earning his supporters 18 points and becoming a pivotal figure in the Fantasy Shooting competition.
Trap and Skeet: Mixed Results
In the Trap event, Rajeshwari Kumari and Prithviraj Tondaiman were the clear favourites, with 171 (49.1%) and 126 (36.2%) selections, respectively. Unfortunately, all three Trap shooters, including Kumari and Tondaiman, finished outside the top 20, resulting in no points for their fans.
The Skeet category saw Anantjeet Singh Naruka as the standout favourite, with a staggering 209 selections (60%). Despite his overwhelming popularity, Naruka’s performance fell short as he finished below the top 20, yielding no points. Conversely, Maheshwari Chauhan, with 100 selections (28.7%), finished seventh and earned her supporters 14 points, significantly influencing the final Fantasy Shooting rankings.
Conclusion
The inaugural Fantasy Shooting on indianshooting.com was a groundbreaking endeavour that successfully engaged shooting sports fans in a unique and interactive way. The competition not only highlighted the popularity of various shooters but also the unpredictability of sports, with underdogs like Swapnil Kusale and Maheshwari Chauhan making significant impacts.
Fantasy Shooting will be back for the ISSF World Cup Final being held in Delhi starting October 13. Stay tuned for more.