Who is Sift Kaur Samra? All you need to know about the Asian Games 2023 gold medalist

Sift Kaur Samra won not one but two Asian Games medals on Wednesday, September 27. The Indian shooter won gold in the 50m rifle 3-position individual event. In the process, she broke the world record, Asian record, and Asian Games record. Samra obliterated the previous record, which stood at 464.7, by achieving a score of 469.6.

The Indian shooting team added yet another team medal to their tally at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. The women's team, of which Samra was a part, secured a silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions event.

The trio of exceptionally talented shooters — Sift Kaur Samra, Ashi Chouksey, and Manini Kaushik — demonstrated their mettle and poise throughout the competition, ultimately finishing second behind the Chinese team. Their combined score of 1764 propelled them to the podium, while South Korea secured the bronze medal.

Samra, in particular, made her mark by shattering the Asian Games record in this category as well, during the qualification round. Her total score of 594 out of a possible 600 points left spectators in awe. She shared the spotlight with China's Xia Siyu, who had the same score but secured the top qualification spot due to higher inner 10 scores.

Ashi Chouksey, with a total score of 590, earned sixth place in qualification. Despite finishing 18th, Manini Kaushik scored 580 and played a pivotal role in securing the team's silver medal.

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Who is Sift Kaur Samra?

Sift Kaur Samra took up shooting in 2016 in Faridkot, India. The 22-year-old took to the sport almost immediately and within a few years, the shooter from India already had a long list of achievements. Samra has won four ISSF Junior Cup medals, including a gold and two silvers. She also achieved two World Cup third-place finishes in the senior category.

Apart from being an extremely decorated shooter, Samra is an MBBS student. The Asian Games gold medalist hasn’t had it easy and was asked to make the daunting decision of choosing between the scalpel and her rifle when a tournament’s dates clashed with her first-year MBBS exams.

Despite several requests to her college to schedule separate exams to accommodate her, the institution refused. After being forced to make a decision, Sift Kaur Samra said that she would "stick to my guns till the 2024 Olympics."

She made the courageous decision to pursue her dream of getting an Olympic medal.

Sift went on to finish fifth in the 50m rifle 3-position at the ISSF World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, earlier this year, securing the coveted Paris Olympic quota for India.

With a place already secured for the Olympic Games and an Asian Games gold and silver in her kitty, there are a lot of hopes and expectations from the Indian athlete to continue making her mark for the country on the world stage.