Big money awaits successful Bangladeshi shooters
Bangladeshi shooters will be millionaires if they win a gold medal in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Bangladesh Shooting Federation general-secretary Istiaque Ahmed Bablu has said that successful shooters will receive a reward of one million taka (the equivalent of $14,000).
"Our shooters have put up good performances in training and all of them have improved their scores. Now it is time for them to prove their mettle on the stage," he said.
Bangladesh will send 12 shooters to New Delhi. Among those who will see action are Sharmin Akhter Ratna and 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Asif Hossain Khan.
Ratna is the country's top medal hope after the Magura native won gold medals in the South Asian Games and the Commonwealth Shooting Championships. "Ratna has proven herself after having made the impossible possible and now she is in good form and we are
expecting something special from her in the Commonwealth Games," Bablu said.
Ratna has been impressive in practice, consistently scoring 398s in the 10-metre air rifle event. The top shooter is so focused on the upcoming competition that she requested the national federation to replace her as the country's flag bearer during the
opening ceremonies on October 3.
Khan is one of the most accomplished shooters in the squad, but the veteran marksman has struggled in recent competitions. The air rifle expert finished only 54th out of 75 competitors in this year's International Sports Shooting Federation World Championships,
scoring only 588 points.
"He has not been consistent for a while and it has turned into a bad habit," said Bablu, adding that Khan often hides his bad scores.
Another shooter to watch in Delhi is Syeda Sadia Sultana, who partnered with Ratna at the SA Games and Commonwealth Championships.
Bangladesh has won only one medal (a silver from the men's air rifle team in Melbourne in 2006) at the Commonwealth Games.
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