"Demons from the Olympics trouble me" - Arjun Babuta on how heartbreak at Paris Olympics affected ISSF World Cup Final performance

In the last few months, Shooter Arjun Babuta has gone through a plethora of emotions. The rising star was on top of the world after qualifying for the Paris Olympics 2024. Next up, live the ultimate dream of becoming an Olympic medalist for India. However, fate had other plans.

Babuta came agonizingly close to the podium, finishing fourth in Paris by the barest of margins. He was in touching distance of glory, before a score of 9.5 on his last attempt ended his dream. The shooter was recently back in action at the ISSF Shooting World Cup Final 2024 in Delhi.

However, he failed to impress, with a fifth position finish in the men's 10m Air Rifle final. For Arjun Babuta, it was the demons of Paris that struck yet again.

He was in a coversation with Sportskeeda during the ISSF World Cup Final.

"The demons of Paris Olympics came back to trouble me today (during the WC final). During the event, when the pressure was on, that wretched thought of what happened in the last few moments in Paris threw me into a deja-vu. Overcoming those emotions is a challenge," said an overwhelmed Arjun.

The 25-year-old poured his heart out and shared how his mental health was affected. Arjun admitted that he does not feel there was a lot wrong with his skill set. It is about handling the mental aspect for him now.

"My skills are doing fine and I continue to work on them. I am not worried about that. It is this mental baggage that I am carrying. The constant thought of missing out on an Olympic medal. But, I remain to be optimistic and also speak with my Psycologist. Meditation shall also help me process and progress," he added.

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"I will be back to my best by continuing to compete"- Arjun Babuta talks through his journey ahead

A 2023 Asian Championships silver-medalist, Arjun Babuta feels he needs to start enjoying the process more. Being 'solution-oriented' worked wonders for him but he had gone the other way in recent past. He now wants to change that.

"I did have the option to skip the World Cup Final but I did not do that. I believe, the only way to get back to my best would be by competing. After the Olympics, I became problem-oriented. Now, i want to go back to being solution-oriented. I have started working on my skills and also want to put on more muscle. I shall be back to my best soon," concluded Arjun.

Arjun Babuta has achieved many a laurels for India on the world stage. Though the loss in Paris and the Wolrd Cup Final comes as a setback, his potential and talent shall help him roar back.