TOI Sports Desk
NEW DELHI: Ace shooter Sarabjot Singh, who ‘gave up football to pursue shooting’, won India’s second medal with Manu Bhaker at Paris Olympics when the duo won the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event bronze-medal round against Korea 16-10.
At 13 years of age, Sarabjot harboured hopes of becoming a footballer but while studying at Ambala’s Bhagirath Public School, he saw a few kids wielding air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp and went to his father and told him that he wants to pursue shooting.
That was 2014. Sarbjot’s father Jitender Singh, a farmer, told his son that the sport is pretty expensive. But eventually, after Sarabjot insisted for months, he agreed.
It’s a decision that the family will never repent, especially after what Sarabjot has achieved in the international circuit.
At 13 years of age, Sarabjot harboured hopes of becoming a footballer but while studying at Ambala’s Bhagirath Public School, he saw a few kids wielding air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp and went to his father and told him that he wants to pursue shooting.
That was 2014. Sarbjot’s father Jitender Singh, a farmer, told his son that the sport is pretty expensive. But eventually, after Sarabjot insisted for months, he agreed.
It’s a decision that the family will never repent, especially after what Sarabjot has achieved in the international circuit.
Sarabjot has already won a senior ISSF World Cup gold in 10m air pistol.
In the domestic circuit, his precision and calmness has made him the national champion twice.
As of now, Sarabjot has won 2 World Championships gold medals, 3 World Cup gold medals, 1 ISSF Junior World Cup gold, 1 gold and 2 silver medals in ISSF Junior Cup and 2 gold medals, a sliver and a bronze in the Asian Championships.
Sarabjot has always credited his coach Abhishek Rana for making a champion out of him.