Rifle ace Gorsa surprises Indian friends

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 11

Petar Gorsa, a four-time Olympian and one of the most recognisable faces on the rifle ranges, confesses that his current visit to India is very different than the last few visits, including the last time he set foot in the country.

The Croatian shooter had to be hospitalised for Covid-19 in March this year when he flew down to take part in the New Delhi World Cup, though he was asymptomatic. Gorsa was alone and in quarantine, and he is thankful to his Indian friends — former shooter Ronjan Sodhi and National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Raninder Singh — who looked after him during those trying times. This started a beautiful relationship between the shooting communities of India and Croatia, courtesy Gorsa. The 33-year-old came to the Indian team’s rescue by helping them arrange a last-minute training stint in Croatia in April amidst a surge in Covid cases in India.

After having spent time with Indian shooters, especially the rifle team in Croatia, Gorsa has formed lasting connections with them. But it still was a surprise to them when he landed at the Bhopal shooting range during the recent National Championships.

“They were very surprised to see me. We didn’t share info about my Bhopal trip,” Gorsa, who is enjoying his time in India without having to think about his shooting, told The Tribune. “Even Suma (Shirur) and Deepali (Deshpande), who I know very well, were surprised. The athletes on the first day were just watching me from a distance but a few approached to click pictures with me.” “On the second day I had better conversations with a few athletes. Some approached me with specific questions about their issues where they wanted a quick tip and I was happy to help,” added Gorsa, who is also part of the ISSF Athletes’ Committee.

Gorsa, winner of multiple World Cup gold medals in the 10m air rifle and 3 Positions events, flew to India on a specific mission. He wanted to understand the growth of shooting in India, and he jotted down a few pointers as he plans a life in coaching after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Since Beijing 2008, the rifle ace has been at every Olympics. He finished fifth in the 3 Positions event in Tokyo.

Transition

Gorsa, who has a mentorship role with the Manav Rachna University, said: “I consider next three years of my career as transition to when I probably will finish my career in Paris 2024,” he said. “After that I will continue in the world of coaching and consulting. I am starting really slow now. I want to slowly build good foundations for future collaborations.”

The number of participants in the Nationals – over 7,000 took part in the rifle and pistol disciplines — was an eye-opener for the Croatian.

“In 3 Positions we usually get 12 to 20 shooters at our Nationals. Numbers are in rapid fire pistol. In air events we have 100-150 participants. It is nowhere close to the numbers you have in India,” he said.

“These numbers are obviously a good thing. It is a statistical advantage that you have,” he said. “With bigger numbers you have a big chance to find special individuals. Having said that, it is a challenge as the authorities have to be at their absolute best to catch talent.”