A galaxy of stars will look to stamp their classes once again when the Shooting events at Hangzhou Asian Para Games kick off in Hangzhou from October 23.

The Shooting events, which will be contested over five days, will see 101 athletes from 17 countries and regions vying for top honours in 13 events at Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in Hangzhou.

While athletes from China and the Republic of Korea are expected to dominate the competitions, new stars have emerged in the past few years from countries like India who will be ready to spring a surprise.

At the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games, China topped the medal table with 13, including three golds, followed by the Republic of Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

China's Paralympic stars Zhang Cuiping, Dong Chao, Yang Chao and Huang Xing will be hoping to win in front of their home fans.

Zhang in top form

Zhang showed her top form clinching the gold in the R10 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 at the Lima 2023 World Shooting Para Sport Championships last month.

In the R1 Men's 10m Air Rifle, Dong will face a strong challenge from United Arab Emirates' Paralympic star Abdullah Sultan Alaryani and Republic of Korea's seasoned star Park Jinho, who has been in form after his recent World title.

Park displayed nerves of steel as he overcame compatriot Lee Jangho, the reigning world champion, to take the title.

In fact, Allaryani will be the favourite for the R7 50m Rifle 3 Positions in which he also had the Paralympic gold medal.

In the R1 Women's event, China's Zhong Yixin will be hoping to finish on top in Hangzhou after her surprise victory at the Lima 2023 World Shooting Para Sport Championships in September. But there will be others like Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara waiting to challenge and aiming for her first Asian Para Games gold.

Thailand will also look to get some medals after their women shooters pulled off impressive results in Lima—with Chutima Saenlar and Somporn Muangsiri capturing quota places for Paris 2024 Paralympics.

India in focus of Pistol events

In the Pistol events, Team India will be in focus after their amazing show from their younger lot at the recent Lima 2023 World Shooting Para Sport Championships.

While Paralympic champion Manish Narwal returned to heroic ways after his show in Tokyo 2020 winning his first Worlds title in the P1 Men's 10m Air Pistol SH1.

Sixteen-year-old Rudransh Khandelwal, though, finished fifth in the same event but took the silver in the P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1, his first medal in a major championships.

The young Indian shooters, however, will be challenged by stars including China's Yang and Huang besides Kim Jungnam of the Republic of Korea who ended second to Narwal in the Worlds.

Javanmardi among favourites

In the Women's Pistol event, Islamic Republic of Iran's Paralympic champion Sareh Javanmardi will be among the favourites. Javanmardi, who has recently given birth to a baby boy, will be hoping to win in front of her new-born. She will also be up in action in the Mixed 50m Pistol event where she will defend her title.

Shooting, which was included in the Paralympic programme at the Toronto 1976 Paralympic Games, has featured in the previous three editions of the Asian Para Games and is expected to be one of the keenly contested sports this time around.