CHENNAI: Skeet shooting has not been India's forte. Medals were hard to come by in top international competitions. Shooters were lacking in self belief and in recent times there has been a shift. Shooters started showing acumen but they are currently without a coach right now in Hangzhou, China. The medal at the Asian Games is likely to give the skeet shooters a big shot in the arm.
Indian shooters capturing as many as seven medals including two gold on Day 4 (Wednesday) of the ongoing multi-discipline event was not a massive surprise. Rifle shooter, Sift Kaur Samra, was beyond a shadow of a doubt the standout star with a world record-shattering output. Needless to say, that fetched her the yellow metal. Another noteworthy medal was the silver captured by skeet shooter Anantjeet Singh Naruka.
After navigating the qualifying hurdle, Anantjeet was up against a couple of heavyweights of the sport in the six-man final on Wednesday. But the 25-year-old held his own to put up a fine finish, eventually ending up second behind two-time Olympic medallist Abdullah Al-Rashidi, who put up a flawless performance. Al-Rashidi, who received plenty of attention after pocketing a bronze medal while sporting an Arsenal jersey at the age of 57 in 2020 Olympics, didn't miss a single target and in the process, equalled all the records (World Record, Games Record, Asian Record).
If not for Al-Rashidi's masterclass, Anantjeet could have easily walked away with a gold medal. Eventually, the Jaipur shooter did maintain his second spot and finished ahead of Nasser Al-Attiya, another veteran who's a former Olympic medallist. Anantjeet had just two misses and finished with a tally of 58 (out of 60). In the recently-held World Championships, the winner, Efthimios Mitas, had won with a tally of 56. But one must remember that the competition at the world level involves a different level of pressure.
Nevertheless, this silver is a timely one for Anantjeet, who has been practicing the sport since 2012. This is his first medal at the senior international level. Son of former shooter Dalpat Singh, Anantjeet had displayed plenty of promise during his junior days before enduring a difficult period during the transition phase (junior to senior). Him winning a medal for the country ahead of more-established shooters might come across as a surprise but not to those who have seen him train up close.
"Winning an Asiad medal is a big achievement for him and for our country. Shooting 58 (out of 60) is world class," Mairaj Ahmad Khan, first skeet shooter to represent the country in the Olympics, was effusive in his praise.
The veteran is someone who has seen him from close range and said that Anantjeet had shown all the qualities to be among medal winners in the past. "Technique, fitness and hard working," Mairaj noted, when talking about things that stood out in his eyes.
National coach Krishna Kumar had also grasped enough about Anantjeet's past performance. "He has been averaging around 120 in recent times and I was hoping that he'll make the cut. He had also done exceptionally well during the Bhopal national trials."
Anantjeet shot 121 in the qualification stage at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre on Wednesday before going on to medal.
Krishna is someone who has seen Anant Jeet evolve over the years. He's encouraged in the manner he has developed, both mentally and physically and expects him to build on this performance. "He is physically strong and has become more determined. I can see him doing well in the days to come."
Anantjeet's effort just bolsters India's recent rise in the discipline. For many years, it seemed like Mairaj was waging a lone battle, especially in skeet. Now, there are some noteworthy challengers for podium finishes at the elite level. "We have a young team and all shooters are focussed Asian Championships will be a good chance for them to secure a quota," Mairaj, who was eclipsed by young shooters including Anantjeet in national selection trials, noted.
This medal bodes well for the country ahead of the all-important Asian Championships in Changwon (October 22-November 2), where Paris Olympic quotas will be on the line.