Shooter Saurabh rediscovers his touch at Nationals

For five years from 2018, Saurabh Chaudhary would hold his Morini pistol so steady and shoot with such precision that it was assumed the prodigiously talented youngster would win an Olympic medal for India.

- Avishek Roy

NEW DELHI:

Multiple gold medals in World Cups, Asian Games title, world records, world No. 1 – they kept coming. Until the Tokyo Olympics where he topped the qualification in 10m air pistol with a score of 586, but finished seventh in the final. Then came the big slump in 2022-23 followed by his exit from the national team.

At the Nationals here, Saurabh finally regained his touch. In the 10m air pistol qualification, the 22-year-old shot a brilliant 591, smashing the national record. The high series of 99, 97, 99, 99, 98 and 99 was like the Saurabh of old.

On Sunday, he was competing in a domestic final for the first time since 2021 and Saurabh admitted it was a different feeling. Though he finished fifth in the final, he said exciting times are ahead.