CHENNAI: Pressure, precision and glory. India’s shooters embraced it all in Palembang to make it a memorable Asian Games. It was not like they pulled a rabbit out of the hat. But it sure was a solid exhibition, an indication that the sport has a happy future. Their tally reads 2 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze; no difference from the last Games in terms of numbers (they had nine in Incheon). But that comparison does not reveal the true picture.
This outcome was anticipated by many, especially those working behind the scenes. The junior programme, started around four years or so, is paying dividends. There are more shooters in the pool to look at and the competition is higher than ever. Former Asia No 1 and Olympian Joydeep Karmakar, who has also been involved in nurturing the young guns, is encouraged by their performances. “Given that a few events were taken out, this is a welcome performance for not only the shooters but Indian sport,” he told Express.
The average age of the 36-member squad was 24.95. Among medal winners were three teens — Shardul Vihan (15), Saurabh Chaudhary (16) and Lakshay Sheoran (19). Perhaps, the only miss was Manu Bhaker. Having taken the world by storm earlier this year, Bhaker (16) was tipped to trigger more hits. Unfortunately, pressure in the finals got the better of her. But her tally of 593 (matching the world record) during the 25m pistol qualifiers suggested what she is capable of.
Joydeep has an interesting take on why the youngsters should be taken seriously. “Ignorance is bliss at times. By ignorance, I mean ignorance of negativity. They have not actually seen much of failure and things are going their way also. Why not bask in that glory right now? Whatever happens later, we can deal with that then. Right now, they are happy-go-lucky and they have a different philosophy.”
But the coach knows, this is just the beginning. “It is our duty to keep them focussed while not crippling their freedom. In the name of discipline, we overdo things at times. These youngsters lose their originality and confidence. That has to be avoided.” Seasoned shooters like Sanjeev Rajput, Heena Sidhu and Apurvi Chandela proved that experience is just as vital. Comeback girl Rahi Sarnobat showed that injuries don’t mean the end of the world. Former national coach Sunny Thomas was far from surprised. “Heena and Rahi know they have to keep pushing harder.
Their experience makes a huge difference. Heena has been consistently shooting well. She is the embodiment of confidence while Rahi showed her calibre.” India had a total of 36 starts and 19 finalists. Getting past the qualifying hurdle is a big deal for the shooters. Out of the 19, 10 became podium finishes. The shooters have no time to rest on their laurels. All of them have already landed in Changwon (South Korea), for their next big assignment: the ISSF World Championships, where 60 Olympic quota places are on the line.