How did Sarabjot Singh qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024?
Sarabjot Singh was a football enthusiast during his childhood, but when he was handed an air pistol at the age of 13, his life trajectory took an entirely different path. The Ambala native has now won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Paris Olympics 2024 alongside Manu Bhaker.
After impressive performances in the junior circuits, Singh soon became a regular member of India's 10m air pistol team and displayed his prowess on the senior circuits. He won two gold medals in the ISSF World Cups last year in men's 10m air pistol and mixed event.
The 22-year-old also competed at the 2023 Asian Shooting Championships and secured India’s first Olympic quota in the 10m air pistol event after winning a bronze. He headed into the Olympic Selection Trials with a one bonus point advantage and it proved crucial at the end.
Sarabjot Singh was engaged in a neck-to-neck battle with Arjun Singh Cheema during the four-stage trials. He finished with a final average score of 582.43, edging Arjun by a marginal 0.07. Arjun placed second with 582.37.
Sarabjot Singh's performance at the Paris Olympics 2024
Sarabjot Singh’s performance at the Munich World Cup last month was a refreshing sight for Indian shooting enthusiasts. He topped the qualification rounds with a score of 588 and shot an impressive 242.7 in the final to win the gold.
He entered the Paris Olympics 2024 as India's top medal contender but didn't have a great outing in the men's 10m air pistol event, finishing ninth with a total score of 577. However, Sarabjot redeemed himself in the mixed event alongside Manu Bhaker to secure a historic bronze medal with a 16-10 win over Korea in the third-place match.
Sarabjot started with a poor 8.6 in the first shot but soon made a comeback and shot consistently in the range of 10 to help India seal a historic medal.