High on expectations, low on delivery. That has been the shooting story in the last two Olympic Games.
A sport, which gave India four individual medals since the 2004 Games — Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, silver in Athens, Abhinav Bindra gold in 2008 Beijing, Gagan Narang’s bronze and silver by Vijay Kumar in London Olympics — shooting in the last two Games was a story of failed promises. From Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, the shooters returned empty-handed.
With Paris Games just months away, the focus is again on shooting. India have won a record 19 quota places and five more are up for grabs from where the team is expecting at least three. The clutch of young and talented shooters have already excelled at the Hangzhou Asian Games and the World Cups. The chances of a podium finish in Paris look bright and if that happens the revival will be complete.
“It’s not possible to say that medals are coming. But one thing I can vouch for is that the new generation of rifle shooters are extremely talented and focused,” rifle coach Austria’s Thomas Farnik, a six-time Olympian, told The Telegraph from New Delhi on Sunday.
Farnik, who was appointed by the National Rifle Association of India after the Tokyo Olympics debacle, said technical shortfall and fragile mental make-up were the two reasons why shooters were faltering on the big stage.
“Rifle shooters were used to a slow triggering style which sometimes led to downfall in crunch situations. I worked on that. The fast triggering style immediately started to give results,” he said.
Farnik’s inputs have given a new lease of life to Akhil Sheoran. Sheoran was down and out for five years till Franik started working with the 50 metre rifle 3-position shooter. “He has great adaptability and I am happy that he is delivering,” the 57-year-old Farnik said.
Sheoran, 28, last year earned a Paris quota place.
“It’s not just one shooter we are focusing on. We are looking at multiple choices and that’s a very good sign. That makes us bullish about the Paris Games. We have tournaments and selection trials (in April-May) lined up. I would say interesting times are ahead,” he added.
Farnik heaped praise on Sift Kaur Samra who a gold medal in women’s 50m rifle 3-position at the Hangzhou Asian Games. “Apart from her technical brilliance, what stands out is her mental make-up. She never gets flustered and always takes it easy. Yes, she is a definite medal prospect.”
Bengal’s Mehuli Ghosh too has impressed the coach. “When I came, I saw her head positioning was too high. We worked on that. She may not have fully adjusted to the new positioning, but still what she is scoring is amazing.
Rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh
Mehuli is working with Hungarian Peter Sidi (in Gagan Narang’s Gun For Glory in Hyderabad) and the sky is the limit for her.”