‘Love for Shooting Kept Me Going’: Gold Medallist Rahi Sarnobat

Rahi Sarnobat became the first Indian female shooter to win gold at the Asian Games.

(Photo: AP)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman

“This is special in so many ways. I've got this after so many ups and downs,” said Rahi Sarnobat after becoming the first Indian female shooter to win gold at the Asian Games on Wednesday, 22 August.

The 27-year-old held her nerve to pip Thailand's Naphaswan Yangpaiboon in the nerve-wracking final of the 25m air pistol event in Indonesia.

Rahi and Yangpaiboon were tied at 34 points following 10 series of five shots each, taking it to a shoot-off. Both found the target four times in the shoot-off, leading to another shoot-off, where Rahi shot three and the Thai two, ensuring a historic gold for the Kohlapur-born shooter.

It’s never happened before that two rounds of shoot-off took place. Final is always special. It is always my favourite part of the game. I had a very good strategy which I’d decided with my coach and I am very happy that I could apply it.

Rahi Sarnobat

After clinching back-to-back golds at the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow CWG in the 25m pistol event, Rahi was forced to take a nearly year-long break from the range due to an elbow injury.

“Definitely I thought that this is it. But the spirit of the game and your love for the game keeps everything going on. And because of that I believe I came back after a very long rehab, nearly one-year long,” she said.

The Asian Games gold is her first major win since returning from her injury. But Rahi prefers not to call it a ‘comeback’.

I had read about myself that I am coming back but I don’t understand how am I coming back. I just went for rehab. I didn’t declare my retirement. I was there doing other things related to shooting. So I don’t think it is a comeback. It was just a process. Even injury is a part of the process.

Rahi Sarnobat

With her stellar effort, Rahi became the second gold medallist from the Indian shooting contingent after 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary shot a gold in the 10m pistol finals on Tuesday.

Rahi is also the sixth Indian to shoot a gold at the Games, joining Chaudhary, Jaspal Rana, Randhir Singh, Jitu Rai and Ronjan Sodhi. Her 34 in the finals also ended up as a joint Games record.

(With inputs from PTI)

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