Latest news with #SuruchiPhogat
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Suruchi aims for golden repeat in Munich
New Delhi: Not many professional shooters describe their process as succinctly as Suruchi Phogat. The latest 10m air pistol sensation to emerge from domestic ranges couldn't care less about techniques such as visualisation or meditation or even the flow state that shooters fret over. Neither does she bother about shooting against Olympic medallists or much-accomplished competitors. 'It's simple. I just pick up the gun and shoot. It's not a very complicated sport,' she said when asked to explain her process. One may be tempted to attribute her assessment to inexperience at the elite level, but the results belie any trace of fluke or complacency. Four medals from her first two senior World Cups in Buenos Aires and Lima this April, including three gold, underscore her growing prowess and the 19-year-old will be the one to watch out for when she takes aim at the Munich World Cup from June 8. 'Shooting always felt natural to me. Somehow, I have never had to try extra hard to nail good scores. I hit 580-585 in training which is usually enough to put me in the finals,' she said. 'In the finals though, I sometimes tend to shoot a little below par which is one area I am working on and would like to get better in this World Cup. The Indian shooting contingent had a two-week training camp at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi where the shooters honed their skills ahead of year's third senior rifle/pistol World Cup. The 23-member squad is headlined by Olympic medallists Swapnil Kusale and Manu Bhaker. Besides Bhaker, Suruchi will be accompanied by 19-year-old Asian Games gold medallist Palak Gulia in the 10m event. After the golden harvest in South America, Suruchi will be expected to give a good account of herself in Germany where the competition is going to be sterner with reigning Olympic champion, South Korea's Oh Yejin, in contention. 'The South American leg didn't offer a very tough test, but in Munich, almost all top shooters will participate. It will be an exciting challenge,' said Suruchi. 'And as far as expectations go, I feel 0.01% pressure on match days. My entire focus is on my shooting.' 'My biggest strength is that I don't think too much. Even on match days, my mornings are relaxed and easy. I just try to execute whatever I do in training. It doesn't matter who is shooting next to me. The target is same for everyone,' she added, emphasising that her mindset has barely changed since the time she swept the individual events (junior, youth, senior) at National Championships late last year and followed it up with success at this year's National Games. The twin success at World Cups has brought a lot of attention to Suruchi's unassuming family in Haryana's Sasroli village. Jhajjar district, known for producing quality wrestlers, has lapped up its latest shooting star and Suruchi is still a little wonderstruck with all the adulation. 'We are simple people who live in a humble house in the fields. When I returned from South America, there were a lot of high-profile people who turned up every day to meet me. I felt a little embarrassed because we don't have any luxuries to offer our guests. It's a very humbling experience,' she said.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Suruchi Phogat sticks to her simple formula to stay world class
With three gold medals and a bronze in the four events that she competed in the last two World Cups in Buenos Aires and Lima, Suruchi Phogat is easily the golden girl of Indian shooting at the moment. As the Indian team was getting ready to leave for the World Cup in Munich, Germany, and at the launch of the logo of the Shooting League of India (SLI) at the Dr. Karni Singh Range in Tughlakabad, Suruchi said that she would continue to aim to be at her best, and not worry about the scores. Cheerful and soft spoken, but with a clear mind, the 19-year-old revealed that she does not try hard to shoot better scores but does everything possible to shoot at her best in every event she competes. 'From the national trials, National championships, National Games, to the trials again, and now in World Cups, the advice by coach Suresh Singh has worked very well for me. I believe that the better scores would happen along the way, if I stick to the right process,' said Suruchi, at ease in keeping things simple. She did recall the advice by seasoned shooter Jitu Rai, who is now with the Indian team as coach, about a few finer points that has helped her be at her best, her normal self, in international competitions. 'I am happy to have won three gold medals so far. I want to win medals in Munich. The World champonships later in the season, is bigger and then there is the Asian Championship also. I also want to do well in the World Cup Finals, as my name has already been confirmed,' said Suruchi, quite pleased to be adding to her international exposure. Every shooter would love to know the secrets of Suruchi to be so remarkably consistent in the international arena, and her younger brother Nishant is no exception. 'He also shoots air pistol. He shoots 580 in practice. He does want to know what I do to win all these gold medals. I just tell him that when he gets to that level, it would happen on its own for him also,' said Suruchi. A first year student of B.A., Suruchi plans to move to the Chandigarh University for the great support it extends to sportspersons. 'I want to compete in the World University championships,' said Suruchi, content to stick to the air pistol, and not venture into the world of 25-metre sports pistol. 'There is so much to learn and achieve in air pistol. I want to stay focused on it, without complicating matters with another event, for now,' she added. If simplicity in character, manner and style is the supreme excellence, the cheerful Suruchi is a classic example. Her beaming face with the charming smile is bound to be seen more often as Suruchi steps out to show her prowess in the international arena.
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Teen rifle shooter Shambhavi making a big mark
New Delhi: Teenage sensations are becoming the norm in Indian rifle and pistol shooting. Close on the heels of 18-year-old air pistol shooter Suruchi Phogat's fine run at the recent World Cups in Buenos Aires and Lima, the rifle discipline has thrown up a fresh talent. The women's 10m air rifle competition has in the past few years emerged as a fiercely fought discipline in the domestic ranges with Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita Jindal, Mehuli Ghosh, Anjum Moudgil and Tilottama Sen routinely testing each other. In the past fortnight, this club seems to have got a new entrant in 16-year-old Shambhavi Kshirsagar. The Kolhapur-born shooter has been competing in junior and youth events since 2018 but her performances are now gaining attention at the top level. The reason for that is her three medals at last month's Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial (KSSM) competition in Delhi where she shot gold in senior and youth events and silver in the junior competition. Shambhavi's form stood out at the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games in Bihar as well. She won the individual title on Thursday and the mixed team event with Parth Mane the next day, warming up nicely for the Junior World Cup in Munich (May 19-27). 'The KSSM win in the seniors was a big confidence boost as it came against high quality competition. It will hold in good stead for the junior World Cup,' Shambhavi said. The field included Ramita, a Paris Olympics finalist and Asian Games bronze medallist, and Mehuli, who is a World Championships bronze medallist. The final also featured reigning national champion Ananya Naidu. Shambhavi took up shooting as a 10-year-old, fascinated by 'big guns' in action in the movies. 'I guess I was always drawn to the thrill. I also took up karate for a while but decided on rifle shooting as it appeared cool.' Shambhavi's shooting career began when her father Shravan -- currently posted as District Commissioner in Solapur, Maharashtra – took her to Dudhali Shooting Range in Kolhapur. 'The sound of pellets got me hooked. I drew inspiration from Abhinav Bindra as everyone spoke of his focus and commitment. I was born the year he shot gold at the Beijing Olympics and I hope to carry forward his legacy.' Success arrived at the Maharashtra State Shooting Championship last year when she swept the senior, junior, youth and sub-junior titles, and then finished third at the Junior World Cup in Granada. Her biggest learning though was at last year's Junior World Championships in Lima where she finished fifth. 'It was a weird competition. They had qualification in the morning and the final in the evening. Usually, the two rounds are bunched. The weather and the arrangements far from ideal,' said Dikshant Jadhav, Shambhavi's coach who had travelled with the squad. 'They didn't have an indoor 10m range so they converted the 50m range with some makeshift arrangements. That did little to stop the cold breeze. We were supposed to warm up in a tent and a steady drizzle didn't help. My fingers froze and I was barely able to keep myself warm,' Shambhavi said. 'Later, I told myself that if I was able to shoot there, I can shoot well anywhere. I think I shot my best that day, results notwithstanding.' Jadhav, also a range in-charge at Delhi's Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, spotted Shambhavi's talent and began coaching over phone and video calls. Her scores though continued to fluctuate. After a below-par performance at the National Games, the Class 11 student shifted base to Delhi. The coach began by fixing her stance and making subtle changes to her rifle setting. 'She is 5'7' which means her stance was anyway wide, but I noticed that it was putting stress on her lower back,' Jadhav said. Gradually he straightened her stance until the ideal centre of gravity was achieved. Then her Monotec Walther rifle was changed for Walther Itec, which provides better weight distribution and trigger control. She will switch to the new rifle post the Junior World Cup. Jadhav has laid out the long-term plan for his ward. With quota competitions for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics starting next year, he plans to enter Shambhavi in more senior competitions to give her a better chance of breaking into the first team. 'It won't be easy considering the competition at home is truly world class, but we are confident,' he said.
