New Delhi : After winning 27 medals at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, this time 36 Indian shooters will be eyeing the 120 medals at stake in different shooting events at the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games.

Shooters have emerged as India's biggest medal hopes at the Commonwealth Games after they won a lion's share of India's medal's tally of 50 in Melbourne. Out of 50 medals, Indian shooters won 16 gold, 7 silver and four bronze medals.

This time 495 Indian sports persons will be eyeing 829 medals in the 17 disciplines. The number of Indian sportsperson participating here is much more than in Melbourne, where 183 Indian athletes took part.

The largest contingent will be from athletics with 146 athletes, followed by aquatics, where 68 athletes will be taking part in different events. Shooting will have the third largest at 36 while the men's and the women's hockey team will have 16 players each.

Initially, 1,140 sportspersons from 17 disciplines were selected as core probables and then the list was pruned to 838, who are now training at different venues.

The government has spent Rs.6.78 billion to train the athletes for the Commonwealth Games and have employed 157 Indian Coaches, 23 foreign experts and 78 support staffs in various disciplines.