India will win shooting medals at Beijing games: Sandhu

Bhopal, Sep 11 (UNI) World number one trapshooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu today expressed confidence that India would win shooting medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

''I am in form and will be part of a 12-member shooting team,'' said Sandhu who recently won a world cup gold in Croatia and also bagged top honours at the Asian Clay Shooting Championship at Singapore.

The marksman, who was here to take part in the Madhya Pradesh government's Vikram Award ceremony, told mediapersons that shooting was once considered an elite sport but that outlook was being transformed.

''The situation has improved over the past two years thanks to government patronage but patronage is required at grassroots level.

Shooting should receive A-grade facilities at state level and sportspersons trained at district level. I advocate subsidy on equipment and the corporate world should come forward,'' he added.

UNI SHD-AC 1504