The competition officially began with the Opening Ceremony held on 20 April, attended by representatives of the ISSF, ISSF President Luciano Rossi, ISSF Secretary General Alessandro Nicotra di San Giacomo, ISSF Executive Committee member and president of the African Shooting Sport Federation Hazem Hosny, local organisers and members of the shooting sport community, marking the start of the event in Cairo.
A total of 284 athletes representing 27 Member Federations from 26 countries will compete in the event, accounting for 454 starts across all disciplines.
The competition will feature 15 event finals, showcasing junior athletes across rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines.
The first final is scheduled for 21 April at 12:00 (local time) with the 10m Air Rifle Women Junior, marking the official start of medal contests in Cairo.
Among the standout names in Cairo is Spain’s Ines Ortega Castro, who continues to build her international profile. A bronze medallist at the ISSF Junior World Cup New Delhi 2025, she began the 2026 season strongly with a gold medal at the ISSF Grand Prix in Ruse. After a challenging performance at the recent ISSF World Cup in Granada, she arrives in Cairo aiming to return to the podium.
Great Britain’s Bethany Norton is another rising star to follow. Competing in Skeet Women, she recently claimed gold at the ISSF World Cup in Tangier, where she also set a junior world record with 28 hits. Her record already includes a gold medal at the ISSF Junior World Cup Suhl 2022 in the Skeet Team Women Junior event.
India’s Vanshika Chaudhary also enters the competition in strong form. A silver medallist at the ISSF Junior World Cup New Delhi 2025 in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Junior, she recently won gold at the Asian Championships alongside Mukesh Nelavalli, setting a junior world record of 481.1 in the process.
India will arrive in Cairo with the largest delegation of 71 athletes, underlining the country’s continued investment in youth development.
Host nation Egypt will also be strongly represented, with 29 athletes competing on home soil and aiming to make their mark in front of a local audience.
As one of the key junior events of the season, the ISSF Junior World Cup Cairo 2026 provides an important platform for emerging athletes to gain international experience and showcase their potential.