From Heartbreak to Glory: The Triumph of Sarabjot Singh at the Olympics

Sarabjot Singh, on his Olympic debut, had a painful experience during the men's 10m air pistol final. Failing by a narrow margin of one inner 10, he was naturally devastated. However, he took this experience positively, saying, "First Olympics tha, experience acha mila" (It was my first Olympics, I got good experience).

Two days later, Singh's resilience paid off when he qualified for the 10m air pistol mixed team with Manu Bhaker. On being asked about the challenges of the upcoming medal match, he replied, "Challenge kuch nahi hain, meri ladai mere khud se hi hain, bas apne technique pe kaam karunga," (there is no challenge, my fight is with myself, I will work on my technique). He followed through and won his first Olympic medal.

Despite the victory, Singh's ordeal was no fairytale. During the bronze medal match, he visibly struggled with nerves, scoring a poor 8.6 on his first shot. However, he steadily improved and clinched victory with a final shot of 10.2, securing the podium spot.

The soft-spoken Singh hails from a farming family in Punjab and competes alongside shooters like Saurabh Chaudhary and Jitu Rai. His success testifies to his mental strength and maturity in a sport as psychological as it is physical. He adheres to the philosophy that "If you expect more, you feel the pressure" and treats each match as a regular event to reduce stress.

After his victory, Singh recognised the need to improve his technique, specifically maintaining focus after a perfect series. Fortunately, his illustrious career, punctuated with a gold at the ISSF Junior World Cup in 2018 and a series of medals at various championships, is testaments to his potential. Disheartening experiences like his initial Olympic miss are just stepping stones on his path to continuous growth and success.