Staying focused helped, say shooting stars

Neha Saini

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Amritsar, October 11

Three upcoming stars of India’s shooting contingent for Asian Games – Ashi Chouksey, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Sift Kaur were in GNDU today to take an exam as they pursue a Bachelor degree in Sports from the university. Among the winners who added significantly to India’s tally of 107 medals at the Asian Games, the three shared their journey, stand-out moments and how they beat the pressure during high-stakes games at the tournament. All three were taking part in their first Asian Games.

Making an all guns blazing comeback in the men’s 50m Rifle 3Ps was not easy for Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar. But the shooting star of India not only managed a podium finish, he did so brilliantly. “I knew that I had a bad start and I had that heavy feeling. I had to gather myself up mentally and in between shots, I did a lot of self-talk. It really calmed me and got me to focus on my strengths,” shared Aishwary. He ended his Asian Games outing with a four medal haul, two gold, a silver, a bronze and a new world record in team event. His feat was lauded by PM Modi when he called the young shooter a remarkable champion in a tweet congratulating Tomar’s individual silver.

Another shooting star of India, Ashi Chouksay, who added three to India’s medal count, also shared how she overcame restlessness on competing a high-stakes event. “The pressure one feels during a high- stakes game at an international sports tournament is tremendous and a lot of positive affirmations really help to calm down nerves,” she said as she explained how she kept focus on her own game and not what her competitors were doing.

For Sift, a medicine dropout, the thrill of taking on the Chinese challenge in the shooting arena gave her the determination to hit the bull’s eye. “I had initially felt restless thinking about the Chinese competitors, but when I saw them missing a few shots, that kind of gave me the confidence that I can do better,” she shared. The rest is history, as they say.

Their medal winning performances have not only earned them sporting accolades, but also heart-warming applause from the nation’s sports lovers. Amid the post-win noise, they shared how every now and then they turn to the ‘person’ behind their steady focus and self-belief.

“My elder brother Navdeep Singh, who also represented India in shooting, is the person who thinks of the big picture always. He was the one who pushed me to play in the senior group when I wanted to keep competing in the junior category. He is my go-to person,” shared Aishwary. For Sift, it was her grandmother, who passed away earlier this year in January, who was her biggest driving force. “She was the one I used to speak with before any important game and I still think of her before any tight game.”

Ashi credits her parents for always believing in her, supporting her in pursuing sports and dropping her initial plans of pursuing administrative services.

The three also shared moments which will remain etched in their memory for life. “When I finished the winning shot in the 50m 3P event, I saw my coach crying and it was overwhelming. It gave me goose bumps to see a foreign coach shedding tears of happiness over my win for India,” said Sift.

Ashi said that watching the Tricolour being raised from her podium as the national anthem played in the background was the most exciting and unforgettable moment of her life. “And that too in China,” she added with excitement still in her voice.

For Aishwary, his unprecedented comeback in the men’s 50m Rifle 3Ps takes the cake.