NEW DELHI:When pistol ace Vijay Kumar cut a dejected figure after missing out on a Rio quota on Thursday, it was compatriots Omkar Singh and Gurpreet Singh who ushered the army man to the parking lot. Post lunch and a brief media interaction, Vijay was accompanied by the duo to lighten up the heavy feeling. “It was heart-breaking for Vijay, and I know the feeling, I’ve experienced the same, but we didn’t say much. We know it’s better to stay quiet and let him speak,” Omkar says.
Good friends off the range, Omkar and Vijay go a long way back. Both shooters started their careers in the mid 2000’s, and both have fetched multiple medals so far. But in recent times, medals have been hard to come by for the duo. While Vijay could not make his last chance count, Omkar is quite optimistic of making an impression in the Asia Olympic Qualifers here at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. “I’m in good shape. But in the end, it will depend on the day. I hope I can rise to the occasion and win the quota,” the Arjuna awardee says.
Both Vijay and Omkar had bossed their events during the Commonwealth Games in 2010. And the Madhya Pradesh man is now looking to draw inspiration from that unforgettable event.
“I was unstoppable then. My family was there with me, and it was wonderful. I do have chats about those moments with my family, Vijay and the rest of the shooters. It will forever remain with me,” he says.
So why has he laboured despite his proven record? “I wasn’t getting the results for a long time and that was running in my mind. I was over-thinking, and was giving importance to unwanted things. Earlier, I used to do a lot of planning. It was good but I was not executing it. Now, I have learnt from my mistakes and learnt to plan and execute,” he explains.
But despite his struggles, his employers have given him total support to help him rediscover his eye for good scores. “I’m here because of the Navy. They have given me 100 per cent support.
“If not for them, I would probably be playing gully cricket,” he laughs.
Omkar, who is based in Coimbatore, claims he is not an emotional guy, but talk about Omanshi, his 15-month-old daughter, and one will get to see his softer side. “My wife sends me videos of her. My daughter always seeks for me and my wife shows her my pictures when I'm away. Generally I’m not an emotional guy but when it comes to my daughter, I get very emotional.”
Post marriage, it was difficult for him to balance career and family. But with time, his wife has understood the demands of his professional requirements.
“My wife took some time to understand my role with the Navy, and shooting. That was actually a difficult phase for me. It was hard to balance personal and professional life. Now, she is really supportive and only disturbs me when I’m not shooting.”
Come Monday, Omkar will look to replicate his 2010 CWG performance and join the likes of Gurpreet and Jitu Rai on the Rio flight.