Shakil blows shooting’s last hope for quota

Bangladesh’s last chance of winning a quota place in shooting discipline of the 2020 Olympics was extinguished yesterday after Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shakil Ahmed finished 35th in the Asian Shooting Championship in Doha, Qatar.

The Bangladeshi shooter scored 570 points in the 10m air rifle event to finish 35th among 72 contestants.

The eighth and final qualifier for the final round of the event secured 581 points. Had he finished inside the top eight, there might have been a possibility of earning a quota place. Now the Bangladeshi shooters will have to rely on wildcards to participate in the Summer Olympics next year.