{Locked & Loaded}
The 24 athletes from Haryana make up a lion’s share of India’s 117-strong contingent, who are trickling in at Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The country has often pinned hopes for medals, even golds, from Haryana athletes in wrestling and track-and-field courtesy the likes of Vinesh Phogat, Antim Phangal and Tokyo golden boy Neeraj Chopra. There is, however, another sport that puts Haryana’s athletes front and centre.
The state has dominant numbers in the 21-member shooting contingent, sending one of the highest six athletes to Paris. And these are names of repute. Youth Olympic champion Manu Bhaker of Jhajjar spearheads the group. The only athlete competing in three events — women’s 10m air pistol, 10m air pistol mixed team and women’s 25m pistol — she is one of the biggest medal hopes.
The 22-year-old had a disappointing outing in Tokyo, where she had made the cut as a teenager. She has, however, matured since and will be taking notes from her Tokyo experience heading into Paris.
Karnal’s Anish Bhanwala, Ambala’s Sarabojot Singh and Faridabad’s Rhythm Sangwan from Faridabad are also eyeing medals in pistol events.
Bhanwala, another young prospect in his early 20s, has posted promising results. A prodigal shooter with a junior world record to his name, he will be competing in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event.
The youngster, who trained at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi in the lead-up to the Olympics, left for Paris on Sunday with other members of the team.
{{/usCountry}}The youngster, who trained at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi in the lead-up to the Olympics, left for Paris on Sunday with other members of the team.
{{/usCountry}}“He was focused on practice alone for months. The whole family stood behind him. He has been trained by coach Harpreet Singh at the shooting range. Since 2017, he has played in the senior category despite his young age,” father Jagpal Singh says, exuding confidence in his son’s chance of landing a podium finish.
The confidence is not misfounded, given Bhanwala’s trajectory. A Commonwealth champion at the tender age 15 and World Cup medallist as a teen in an event where does not boast of too many big names, he has shown the acumen needed to succeed on the big stage.
Karnal’s Raiza Dhillon will ensure Haryana’s representation in the shotgun events in the women’s skeet, while Kurukshetra’s Ramita Jindal will be a part of the rifle squad and compete in the women’s 10m air rifle.
Some of these shooters have over the years found support from private organisations, Centre’s TOPS scheme and organisations like the Olympic Gold Quest, but it comes back to their families to sustain their training and off-arena needs.
Given the number of medals that the shooters have won on big stages like the World Cup, there’s plenty of evidence on the sea of talent, experts and independent observers sense a need for more support from the government’s end. To start with, Haryana does not have a shooting range for the players to practise at.
“There is no government shooting academy in the state and all shooters have to train at private academies. There is an abundance of talent in the state in almost every sport, but a player has to depend only on his family for practice, diet and moral support,” Rajnarayan Panghal, a Rohtak-based sports expert, said.
Specialised coaches and inculcating a team environment come next. Team competition like the Olympics provide an ample opportunity for the athletes to experience that and an academy back home, will further foster a sense of healthy competition that can further the sport in the region.