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Olympics bronze medallist Sarabjot returns home to hero’s welcome
22-year-old from Ambala won team bronze with fellow shooter Manu Bhaker in mixed 10m air pistol event at Paris Olympics 2024
Sarabjot Singh could not have asked for a better homecoming on Friday after giving India a team’s bronze at Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday, swelling India’s medal tally.
The 22-year-old from Ambala won the team bronze pairing up with fellow shooter Manu Bhaker in 10m mixed air pistol event, scripting history by giving India the first-ever Olympic medal in a shooting team event.
The shooter from Dheen village in Ambala’s Barara block combined with Manu to beat South Korea 16-10 in a dominating show to land India its second medal at the Olympics.
While Manu cemented herself as the first ever athlete of independent India to win more than one medal at a single edition of the Olympics – following her bronze finish in the women’s individual on Monday – Sarabjot became the first Indian male shooter since Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang, to win a shooting medal at the Olympics.
His father, Jatinder Singh, works as a farmer and mother Hardeep Kaur is a homemaker. He studied at DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, and trained under coach Abhishek Rana at the AR Shooting Academy in Ambala Cantt, located within the Central Phoenix Club.
On Friday, Sarabjot was welcomed with his coach Abhishek Rana by the family, relatives and villagers amid much fanfare and dhol beats.
Expressing his thrill, his father, Jatinder Singh, said, “Every time he would leave home for a tournament, he never returned empty handed. He has won several gold medals and became champion at several games, but this one is special. We are proud of this feat.”
Speaking to the media, Sarabjot thanked his family, coach and his mentors for the victory and said that he will continue his practice.
Former Haryana home minister and Ambala Cantt MLA Anil Vij also reached Sarabjot’s residence to congratulate him and his family.
Vij said, “I always told him that I had high expectations from him and he has lived up to them. When the national flag is hoisted at the Olympics and the national anthem is played, one’s chest swells with pride. He has not only brought laurels to the nation, but also to Haryana and is the first athlete to bring an Olympic medal for Ambala.”
On Thursday, Sarabjot was also welcomed by his friends and family after his landing at the IGI Airport in Delhi, after which he was felicitated by Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and awarded a cheque for ₹22.5 lakh as part of the ministry of youth affairs and sports’ cash award scheme.
Haryana minister of state for sports Sanjay Singh had also announced that as per the sports policy, he will get ₹2.50 crore cash reward and a government job, while chief minister Nayab Singh Saini had congratulated him over video call for the achievement.
