Olympic dreams take shape at Ambala range

To win medals at the national and international level 10-m air pistol shooting tournaments, budding and trained air pistol shooters have been training hard at the shooting range in Ambala.

A number of young and trained shooters have been spending hours in the shooting range, practicing hard with an aim to improve their performances in the upcoming tournaments.

Along with the budding and national-level shooters, some ace shooters, including Sarabjot Singh and Aditya Malra, who have won medals at the international level events, can be spotted practicing for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

A native of Dheen village in Ambala, Sarabjot Singh, who had won a bronze in 10-m air pistol mixed team event at the Paris Olympics, said, “A number of children are taking up the sport and they have the potential. To ensure that they keep getting the required training and facilities, the government should support them. In the absence of adequate financial support, sometimes the young players stop training. There is a need to find, support and nurture the talent at the grassroots level.”

“There is also a need to develop an Olympics standard shooting range in the state for major tournaments we need to go to Delhi for training. We are focusing on the 2028 Olympics and we are confident of bringing laurels to the country again,” said Sarabjot.

His training partner and Asian shooting championship 2025 silver medallist in the team event, Aditya Malra, said, “Following recent success in the air pistol events in the international tournaments, the game is getting a good response. People approach us to seek guidance for their children and it feels good to see them showing interest. They sometime get a little anxious and lose patience and in such situations we share our experience with them and just motivate them to keep going.”

“There is a requirement to introduce more facilities to further improve the game and attract more sportspersons for which the government support is required. The pistols are imported from other countries and it makes the game a little expensive, especially for those who are yet to get the sponsorship. The sponsors and the academies can’t do everything. The government should come forward, develop shooting ranges, including 10m, 25m and 50m ranges with all required facilities and we are confident that our budding players will bring laurels to the country,” he said.

Harman Singh, a 16-year-old shooter, from Ambala Cantonment, said, “I developed a liking towards the game a couple of years ago and started practicing here at the range. I have participated in the national-level games and I want to represent the country and win an Olympic medal. It feels good to see Sarabjot and Aditya Malra practicing in the same range alongside us and we get to learn a lot from them.”

“Over the last few years, we have observed that the sport is gaining momentum in the region. While a few years ago, very few people used to take up this sport. At present, over 100 budding and trained players are preparing for the various competitions. In Ambala Sarabjot Singh and Aditya Malra are preparing for the Olympics 2028. Some other ace players from other states are also coming to Ambala for training purposes,” said shooting coach and former international-level shooter Abhishek Rana.

He says “Shooting is not just about going to a range, picking up a pistol and start aiming. Shooting is an individual game hence everything depends on the player in the game. It requires a lot of dedication, practice and control over the body and mind. Along with focusing on the physical strength, the shooters need to focus on their mental strength too.”

About the role of parents, Abhishek Rana, who runs Abhishek Rana Shooting Academies in Ambala, said, “Parents are very active and aware these days. People know the importance of early start and they are reaching with children as young as four years of age. We also have budding players in the age group of seven to eight years as well. They keep searching for good coaches and facilities for their children as they understand that along with studies, sports are equally important. In current circumstances, only education is not enough to get a good job, sports also open various opportunities. A good player after earning his name can open his academy and even start coaching at different institutions.”

He further said though it was an individual game and the private academies were playing their parts in developing the facilities and nurturing the young talents, the government should also play an active role and support the young talents in their struggling days. The government should deploy its officials and sports officers to meet the young players and their coaches and fulfil their requirements.

“The government has a big vision but a lot of things need to be done to change the ground reality. To provide international-level facilities and coaches, there is a need to invest in a big way at the ground level. Appreciation after winning the medal is good, but support during the struggle and initial days is something that the players really need. Just honouring the players after winning medals will not serve the purpose. If the government really wants to see more players bring laurels to the state and country, the government needs to make the reward more attractive and offer better jobs as the sportspersons need financial and job security. The government should also ensure that the winners of different competitions get their reward money within a stipulated time frame. We request the government to rework on its policies for better results,” Abhishek Rana said.