Babuta takes a shot at new event

Hindustan Times

02-05-2025

Mumbai: Paris Olympian Arjun Babuta is currently in trial-and-error mode. He's experimenting with his shooting — both equipment and mindset wise — and exploring interests beyond it. As part of that, the 10m air rifle shooter who finished fourth at last year's Olympics will divide his attention to a new event.
And thus, a week after returning home from the ISSF World Cup Lima with a 10m air rifle silver medal, Babuta resumed training for 50m rifle three positions to give a shot in it at the next trials. He's occasionally dabbled in the longer, more strenuous event before, but now wants to 'treat it equally' with his primary event.
'I want to give equal importance to 50m as my 10m event,' Babuta said. 'I'm very close to the top eight every time, but there's still improvement to be done in it. Because it's a new event for me, it will take some time. I also have to get physically fitter for it.
'Right now, because I'm prioritising the 10m, I have to sacrifice on training for 50m. I'll change that this year. I want to explore that side of myself as well.'
Babuta is on an exploration path outside of the shooting ranges as well. He's gone back to practicing the tabla, is taking online lessons on photography and listening to a wide range of podcasts, among other things. All of this, he believes, is helping him 'learn a lot about myself and also other people's perspective'.
Babuta went through an emotional rollercoaster after his first Olympics where he had the finish line in sight but couldn't cross it for a medal. He's since been made to carry that fourth-place tag wherever he has gone. It played a role in the 26-year-old wishing to look at life beyond shooting; something that isn't too common among elite shooters in India.
'People for which that works, who think shooting all the time, well and good. But for me, wherever I have gone in public, everyone says, 'He finished fourth at the Paris Olympics'. I then ask myself: is that the only thing I want to be known for, or even something beyond?
'I believe there has to be personal growth as well, and life must have balance. I find peace in trying all these things. And feel like I am developing too,' he said.
Also giving him peace is keeping a diary, an exercise Babuta engages in at least twice a week when he is mentally detached from shooting and all by himself. Time constraints prevent him from writing more often.
'I write about everything, not just shooting,' he said.
On the shooting front, the World Cup silver was a 'respectable' outcome for him after a few close finishes outside the podium. Babuta stood 0.1 points behind China's Paris Olympics champion Sheng Lihao in a high-quality final in Lima. More than ending the medal drought, though, Babuta was happier about his experiments and changes in mental approach — not seeing the scores throughout the match, for example — starting to show results.
'You have to be gutsy to try these new things. I wasn't getting success with it for a while, and so I felt relieved and happy once I got it,' he said.