<p> India’s top double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi has a clear cut goal for 2014 — he wants to defend his Asian Games title and do enough at the World Championships to secure a qualifying spot for the 2016 Rio Olympics.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Besides the two tournaments, Sodhi has four World Cup meets and the Commonwealth Games to deal with.<br /><br />“It will be a packed year. The training so far has been good. The most competitive event will be the Asian Games where I defend my title. Not to forget, the World Championships will offer a quota place for the Rio Olympics,” Sodhi told IANS in an interaction here on Tuesday.<br /><br />Sodhi stressed on the importance of doing well at the World Championships in Grenada, Spain, in September. Sixty-four Olympics spots will be up for grabs at shooting’s premier competition.<br /><br />“The worlds have a quota place and if you are able to qualify two years before Rio, you can sit and relax and go about your training in a planned manner,” said the 34-year-old who still has nightmares about not making the double trap final at the 2012 London Olympics where he was considered a top medal prospect. I am a human being and it is tough to forget what happened in London. I will prepare as hard as I can to not succumb to any form of pressure at Rio,” said the affable shooter.<br /><br />The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee heads to Italy again next month to prepare for the first World Cup to be held at Tucson, United States from April 8 to 15.<br />“Italy has been like a second home now. Like every year, I will be visiting the country three to four times a year.”<br /><br />He has been one of the four shotgun shooters to have received Rs 50 lakh from the government for exposure and competing in international tournaments.<br /><br />“There is nothing to complain on the government front. It is doing a fantastic job and has come up with a policy that will groom shooters till the 2020 Olympics,” he added.<br /><br /></p>
<p> India’s top double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi has a clear cut goal for 2014 — he wants to defend his Asian Games title and do enough at the World Championships to secure a qualifying spot for the 2016 Rio Olympics.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Besides the two tournaments, Sodhi has four World Cup meets and the Commonwealth Games to deal with.<br /><br />“It will be a packed year. The training so far has been good. The most competitive event will be the Asian Games where I defend my title. Not to forget, the World Championships will offer a quota place for the Rio Olympics,” Sodhi told IANS in an interaction here on Tuesday.<br /><br />Sodhi stressed on the importance of doing well at the World Championships in Grenada, Spain, in September. Sixty-four Olympics spots will be up for grabs at shooting’s premier competition.<br /><br />“The worlds have a quota place and if you are able to qualify two years before Rio, you can sit and relax and go about your training in a planned manner,” said the 34-year-old who still has nightmares about not making the double trap final at the 2012 London Olympics where he was considered a top medal prospect. I am a human being and it is tough to forget what happened in London. I will prepare as hard as I can to not succumb to any form of pressure at Rio,” said the affable shooter.<br /><br />The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee heads to Italy again next month to prepare for the first World Cup to be held at Tucson, United States from April 8 to 15.<br />“Italy has been like a second home now. Like every year, I will be visiting the country three to four times a year.”<br /><br />He has been one of the four shotgun shooters to have received Rs 50 lakh from the government for exposure and competing in international tournaments.<br /><br />“There is nothing to complain on the government front. It is doing a fantastic job and has come up with a policy that will groom shooters till the 2020 Olympics,” he added.<br /><br /></p>