CHENNAI: The last time Pooja Ghatkar made headlines was three years ago. Pipping then world champions Yi Siling and Du Bei of China at the Asian Air Gun Championship in Kuwait for gold, the 28-year-old is a very different person now.
Missing out on the Rio Olympics was an eye-opener. She felt the need for change. Enter Gagan Narang. Under the tutelage of the London Olympics bronze medallist, Pooja scripted her biggest win as she claimed the women’s 10m air rifle bronze at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi.
Speaking to Express, she credited Narang for reshaping her career. “Gagan sir helped me achieve whatever I was lacking in my previous years. His experience helped me improve both technically and mentally.”
Interestingly, the mentor compared his student to a Formula One car. “Pooja was already at her best. She just needed a little tuning. She used to struggle with pressure. I helped her overcome that. It was a new experience for me, as I have never trained anyone at such a high level. It was a team effort, and I am very happy that things worked out.”
Losing her father at a very young age, it was difficult for Pooja to practice a sport that requires a lot of financing. Her mother was her ammunition. A teacher by profession, Bharti always had her daughter’s back. “She never let me bother about money. Even if I go and ask her, she used to shoo me away. ‘That’s my problem. You go focus on your shooting,’ she used to tell me.”
After graduating from Shri Shahu Mandir Mahavidyalaya in Pune, the commerce student wanted to get an MBA degree. Though that didn’t happen, Pooja doesn’t feel bad about it. What came as a substitute (medals and fame) is something that many people can only dream of. “I had to stop after the first year. The constant travelling made it difficult to focus. But, I don’t regret it.”
For any shooter, a medal at the Olympics is the ultimate aim. Though Tokyo is three years away, questions regarding the quadrennial event are common. “It’s a good start. I was disappointed to miss out on Rio. I will keep training hard, and Tokyo is my main objective.”
vimalsankar@newindianexpress.com