5 things you didn't know about Saurabh Chaudhary

India is banking on 19-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in the 10m air pistol category. The shooter from Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh has finished on the podium on multiple occasions at the ISSF World Cups over the past couple of years and will certainly be a favorite in Tokyo to land another medal.

Let us take a look at a few things you didn't know about Saurabh Chaudhary.

Saurabh Chaudhary's humble beginnings

Saurabh comes from a family of farmers in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. To practice shooting at his club run by Aryangateway sports, Saurabh made 15 km long bus journeys. His coach Amit Sheoran saw the potential in him and groomed him.

Saurabh Chaudhary's Asian Games record

In 2018, Saurabh Chaudhary became the youngest Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Asian Games in Palembang. He scored a total of 240.7 in the final of the 10m air pistol event and set a Games record in the process.

Saurabh Chaudhary's junior world record

Chaudhary holds the world record for most points by a shooter in a junior's competition when he scored 246.3 at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. What is remarkable is that he broke the world record of 245.5 that was set by him in 2018 at the Junior World Championship.

Saurabh Chaudhary is an Arjuna Awardee

For his achievements in the sport of shooting, Saurabh Chaudhary was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by the Government of India in 2020. He has also been awarded the Laxman Award by the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

#NationalSportsAwards:Congratulations to shooter @SChaudhary2002 on winning the Arjuna Award 2020. He is the youngest Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Asian Games and also won the Gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Argentina.@KirenRijiju @DGSAI @RijijuOffice pic.twitter.com/jNeiZEBcz0

— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) August 29, 2020

Saurabh practices shooting in a cowshed - A cowshed!

To remove time wasted on commuting between his house and the academy, Saurabh and his coach, Amit Sheoran, converted a cow shed in front of his house, that is close to 15m long, into a shooting range.

Practice session at home.#Shooting #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/zaoFYllzJx

— Saurabh Chaudhary (@SChaudhary2002) July 27, 2020

India's hopes for a shooting medal will be banking on the shoulders of young Saurabh Chaudhary. He will be seen competing at mixed teams and individual events. He will be in action on 24th July in the individual event and on 26th July in the mixed team event.