"That was the only thing that he had to overcome" - Sarabjot Singh's coach Abhishek Rana describes pressure as biggest obstacle ahead of bronze match

Disappointment and redemption are two emotions that most sportspersons experience over the course of their respective careers. Competing in the first Olympics of his young career, Sarabjot Singh has experienced both these extreme emotions over a period of four days.

On the opening day of the Paris Olympics, the 22-year-old from Haryana had failed to qualify for the final round of the men’s 10m air pistol competition, finishing ninth despite tying with Germany's Robin Walter with a total of 577 points after six series.

However, the young shooter redeemed himself in spectacular fashion on Tuesday, July 30, when he teamed up with Manu Bhaker to win bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The Indian pair displayed excellent composure to defeat formidable South Korea 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off.

In the process, Sarabjot became the first Indian male shooter to win an Olympic medal since Gagan Narang and Vijay Kumar climbed the podium at the 2012 London Olympics exactly 12 years ago.

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Basking in glory

Overjoyed at seeing his ward register the biggest feat of his career so far, Sarabjot’s childhood coach Abhishek Rana is hard-pressed to contain his happiness and excitement.

“I have seen him right from point zero. I know him perhaps even more than he knows himself. I cannot describe my happiness at this historic success. It seems like all the hardwork and challenges that we both went through to reach this stage was all worth it,” Rana told Sportskeeda from Paris.

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Road to redemption

The coach admitted that he also grappled with disappointment and mental pressure after Sarabjot lost out on the opening day. However, he focused on working on the mental aspects of the game to help his student perform better in Tuesday’s competition.

“He was under a bit of pressure after the debacle in his first event. That was the only thing that he had to overcome. The technical part we had sorted out while training for the Olympics,” Rana said.

“He was a bit disappointed after a poor performance on the opening. We worked on the mental aspect after that and it reflected during today’s performance when he dominated his opponents with a series of excellent shots. He went into today’s event with a winning mindset," he added.

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Childhood memories

Rana became emotional as he recounted how Sarabjot worked his way to success since stepping into his shooting academy in Ambala, Haryana almost a decade ago.

”I have seen him since he was a kid. He was extremely dedicated and sincere. As a result, he started tasting success early in his career. He joined my academy in 2017 and won his first medal at the national level in 2017. It was a bronze. That motivated him even more and he started thinking of winning gold,” Rana recalled.

“He won nationals gold in 2018 and a total of five medals. He became junior world champion in 2019 and then national champion for 3 consecutive years. He was an extremely driven and determined kid. Shooting had become the center point of his life. He thought of nothing else,” he added.

Rana also praised Sarabjot’s parents and felt that they played a crucial role in his success.

“I cannot comment on how his family managed to overcome the financial hurdle of such an expensive sport. They are farmers and are dependent on agriculture just like most rural families in Haryana and Punjab. Hats off to them for supporting Sarabjot and ensuring his success in such a demanding sport," he said.