New Delhi: Suraj Sharma was only seven years old when he lost his father in the line of duty. His father, Yogendra Sharma was a Border Security Force personnel posted in the Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
Life took a tough turn for the little boy and his family, but Suraj fought through all the struggles that came his way and is now one of India’s most promising pistol shooters. On Monday, he won bronze in rapid fire pistol at the ISSF Junior World Cup at the Karni Singh Range, living up to the promise he made to himself to bring glory to his country on the sports field.
The 18-year-old has had stellar results on the junior international circuit. He became junior world champion in standard pistol in Lima last year, where he also won silver in 25m pistol. This year, he won gold in 25m pistol at the Asian Championships and silver in the 25m standard pistol event in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, last month. Winning a medal on home turf on Monday brought a different emotion for the teenager.
“It feels so special to win a medal in front of the home crowd with everyone cheering for you,” says Suraj, who hails from Madhya Pradesh.
“My father was in the BSF, and during a firing incident on the border in 2014 we lost him. I have seen a lot of struggles — to leave my village, to study, and to take up the sport. My family always supported me. I have seen so much in life, but struggles are part of life. You emerge stronger,” Suraj said.
Suraj wanted to take up a sport as a youngster when someone told him about shooting. He joined an academy in Gwalior. “There was nobody who was a shooter in my family, but I felt good. I started with an air rifle and then picked up a .22 pistol shooting at the MP Academy.”
The Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy in Bhopal holds great importance for him, as it was there that he realised his dream. “I got selected in the MP Academy and came to Bhopal. It was there that I got interested in rapid fire. The MP government has helped me immensely by providing all the facilities, weapons, and ammunition, and taking care of my lodging, etc. At home, it is my uncle who has looked after my family. Now I have the responsibility towards my mother and sister,” he says.
Suraj was, in fact, in contention for gold but was docked two points because of a violation. In rapid fire, if the arm is raised above 45 degrees in the ready position, it is considered a violation. Suraj may not have realised when it happened. Kovalev Aleksandr of AIN (Individual Neutral Athletes) won gold, beating another Indian, Nelavalli Mukes, in a shoot-off after both tied with 27 hits.
“I could have been in line for gold but the two points deducted hurt me. It has never happened before. A shooter doesn’t usually get penalised like that, but maybe I was nervous and there was a minor infringement. But it’s a lesson and a new experience for me,” says Suraj.
Clean sweep in women’s air rifle
The women’s air rifle shooters produced a dominant display, with Ojasvi Thakur taking gold, Hrudya Shri Kondur silver, and Shambhavi S. Kshirsagar bronze. It was intense competition among the three Indians. Ojasvi came through brilliantly in the final stretch to upstage Suhl World Cup gold medallist Shambhavi, who had topped qualification with 632 points. Thakur scored 252.7, her win sealed with two perfect 10.9s in the 24-shot match. Hrudya, only 14 years old, gave a fine display of her talent to finish second with 250.2 points.
In the men’s 10m air rifle junior final, India’s Himanshu, who had topped qualification with 633.7, delivered a commanding performance to win gold with 250.9. Individual Neutral Athlete Dmitrii Pimenov took silver with 249, while India’s Abhinav Shaw claimed bronze with 228.4.
