KOCHI: Much before he could grab a driving license, Thomas George Karimpanal earned a license to carry the gun. Though the 20- year- old pistol shooter still has a childish look, this Kottayam-based youngster is a master in shooting. The youngest contestant and the only Malayalee figure who is representing the country in the National Shooting Championship has recently won 15 medals in the 50th Kerala State Shooting Championship (Eight in individuals and seven in team events) including 11 golds, three silver, and one bronze.
Thomas who has been a team member of India’s elite “Junior National Shooting Squad since 2015” is the only Pistol shooter from the State to have ever reached the National Squad, and he is working hard to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in 2020. “At present, my only aim is to win a gold medal for the country in Tokyo 2020 Olympic. The training section under Jaspal Rana and the team of coaches of SAI & NRAI and mentor and coaching under Prof V C James is progressing. Besides that I am getting a lot of support from my co-players, Elizabeth Koshi and Saira Mary Jo. I hope to win something for my country,” says Thomas , the Top Ranked International Shooter as declared by “The Asian Shooting Confederation.
His talent has been spotted by the professional talent hunters of the National Rifle Association of India and Sports Authority of India, as an emerging talent of the Shooting Fraternity of India with the potential for an Olympic medal. Thomas has also got the opportunity for getting training under the Legendary ‘25mt. Rapid Fire Pistol Shooter’ Ralf Schuman of Germany who is the only person to have won 10 Olympics and over 2 dozen World Championships.
Thomas started his career as a shooter in 2013 when he first got selected at the Idukki District Shooting Championship and his talent as an ace shooter was spotted by Prof V C James the Secretary of District Rifle Association of Idukki. “When I was 10 Grade student about four years back, I came to know about a shooting championship at Idukki. During this, I won my first medal against the senior shooters and broke the Senior and Junior State Record in 25mt. The journey started from there. Since my father possessed a gun, I developed a love for pistols and that actually was a turning point in my life,” said Thomas.
In addition to competing successfully with record breaking performance at the State Shooting Championships in 2013 - 14 - 15 - 16 & 17, Thomas has represented Kerala State and won numerous medals at all the National and Pre National & Zonal Championships since 2013. He had also represented India at ‘The 26th Meeting of the Shooting Hopes, Plzen 2016’, ‘The 13th Asian Shooting Championship 2015’, ‘The Grand Prix of Liberation Plzen 2015’ and several other events.