NEW DELHI: Ace shooter Sarabjot Singh, who ‘gave up football to pursue shooting’, won India’s second medal with Manu Bhaker at Paris Olympics when the duo won the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event bronze medal match against Korea 16-10.
At the shooting range in Chateauroux, the Indian team defeated the Korean team of Lee Wonoho and Oh Yeh Jin 16–10 to win the nation’s second medal.
Three days ago, Sarabjot, who had gone through a challenging time attempting to cope with the disappointment of losing the solo competition, said he felt a lot of pressure to do well.
Sarabjot’s first attempt for the Indians yielded a dismal 8.6, and Bhaker’s shot of 10.2 resulted in an overall score of 18.8. With a total of 20.5, the Koreans won the first round and took a 2-0 lead.
The team with the most points—16—wins the medal in mixed team competitions.
At a deficit of 0–2, Bhaker’s reliability was evident, and Sarabjot benefited from it as they won the following four games to increase their lead to 8–2.
Bhaker was so confident that during the entire 13-round competition, she only had three shots below ten.
The Koreans faced an uphill battle as they gave in to pressure and lost 16–10, unable to equal their opponents.
At 13 years of age, Sarabjot harboured hopes of becoming a footballer but while studying at Ambala’s Bhagirath Public School, he saw a few kids wielding air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp and went to his father and told him that he wants to pursue shooting.
That was 2014. Sarbjot’s father Jitender Singh, a farmer, told his son that the sport is pretty expensive. But eventually, after Sarabjot insisted for months, he agreed.
It’s a decision that the family will never repent, especially after what Sarabjot has achieved in the international circuit.
At the shooting range in Chateauroux, the Indian team defeated the Korean team of Lee Wonoho and Oh Yeh Jin 16–10 to win the nation’s second medal.
Three days ago, Sarabjot, who had gone through a challenging time attempting to cope with the disappointment of losing the solo competition, said he felt a lot of pressure to do well.
Sarabjot’s first attempt for the Indians yielded a dismal 8.6, and Bhaker’s shot of 10.2 resulted in an overall score of 18.8. With a total of 20.5, the Koreans won the first round and took a 2-0 lead.
The team with the most points—16—wins the medal in mixed team competitions.
At a deficit of 0–2, Bhaker’s reliability was evident, and Sarabjot benefited from it as they won the following four games to increase their lead to 8–2.
Bhaker was so confident that during the entire 13-round competition, she only had three shots below ten.
The Koreans faced an uphill battle as they gave in to pressure and lost 16–10, unable to equal their opponents.
At 13 years of age, Sarabjot harboured hopes of becoming a footballer but while studying at Ambala’s Bhagirath Public School, he saw a few kids wielding air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp and went to his father and told him that he wants to pursue shooting.
That was 2014. Sarbjot’s father Jitender Singh, a farmer, told his son that the sport is pretty expensive. But eventually, after Sarabjot insisted for months, he agreed.
It’s a decision that the family will never repent, especially after what Sarabjot has achieved in the international circuit.
Sarabjot has already won a senior ISSF World Cup gold in 10m air pistol.
In the domestic circuit, his precision and calmness has made him the national champion twice.
As of now, Sarabjot has won 2 World Championships gold medals, 3 World Cup gold medals, 1 ISSF Junior World Cup gold, 1 gold and 2 silver medals in ISSF Junior Cup and 2 gold medals, a sliver and a bronze in the Asian Championships.
Sarabjot has always credited his coach Abhishek Rana for making a champion out of him.