"My Olympic dream began when Gagan Narang won bronze in London" - Akhil Sheoran discovers answers to problems ahead of likely Paris 2024 sojourn
Akhil Sheoran, who is now on the verge of guaranteeing himself a place at the upcoming Paris Games, first tried his hand at shooting after hearing of Abhinav Bindra's exploits back in 2008.
Akhil's Olympic dream, however, began when Gagan Narang made India proud by winning the bronze medal in the 10m air rifle event in London 2012.
The celebrations that were sparked following Gagan Narang's Olympic feat inspired the shooter from Uttar Pradesh to attempt to emulate the achievement as he told Sportskeeda during an exclusive interaction.
"When I heard that Abhinav Bindra had won an Olympic medal for India I was inspired to try my hand at the sport," Akhil stated. "In my case, the Olympic dream began in 2012 when Gagan Narang won bronze (at the London Olympics) and that was the time I started doing well at the national level."
"I was on the verge of being selected for an international competition at the time the Olympics were on and we got the news that Gagan bhaiyya (brother) had won bronze. The manner in which the moment was celebrated spurred me to try and become the reason for the country to celebrate my medal win," he recalled.
With a sense of unmistakable pride, the Baghpat-born shooter expressed his joy at having reached the threshold of a possible place at the Olympics after missing out in Rio and Tokyo.
"That was the time I decided I wanted to make it to the Olympics - I wasn't successful the first couple of times but I made it the third time," said the man who is a master at the 50m rifle 3 position event.
"I have discovered the answers to many of my problems during two-hour-long walks and runs" - Akhil Sheoran
Despite his strong determination and resolve, Akhil Sheoran has had to negotiate a bumpy road but made the most of the lows by developing his physical strength and finding answers to his problems amid some intense exercise.
"Ups and downs are a part of sport. When one is doing well, the focus is only on performance. When things are not going right, there are some things that you do not notice but others like your coach do. So, there are things that need to be set right and that takes time," he explained.
"That's a time many refer to as a 'low' but I was focused more on developing my physical strength and pushing my physical capabilities to new limits," Akhil Sheoran added.
The 28-year-old disclosed that cardio workouts and long runs have helped solve many of his problems while reaching a state of realization.
"When doing cardio, for example, or when one is in the middle of a half-hour run, it's a moment when you are talking to yourself and asking questions of yourself as well. I have discovered the answers to many of my problems during two-hour long walks and long runs," the ace shooter disclosed.
"There is a moment in between the walks and runs when you are totally absorbed and focussed on yourself. I also enhance my meditation during those times," Akhil Sheoran said.
The 2023 ISSF World Championship bronze medalist also recalled what a coach of his told him about the importance of a positive mindset in creating positivity around oneself.
"We had a coach called Oleg (Mikhailov) who stressed the importance of a positive mindset and how a positive mindset helps in making positive things happen for you" said Akhil Sheoran.
With a limited number of quotas available for international competitions, how do members of the Indian shooting team manage to strike a balance between internal competition and team bonding?
Akhil Sheoran's unhesitant reply captures the spirit that defines the level of camaraderie in the ranks. He delved deep into the "brotherly bond" with Swapnil Kusale and the friendship with Aishwary Tomar to highlight how the competition at the firing range contrasts with the warmth of the partnership.
"Swapnil Kusale and I have been in the team for a very long time now. We were part of the team at the junior level as well. We both earned quotas for the Olympic Games," said Akhil Sheoran as he lauded his 29-year-old teammate.
"Aishwary Tomar also gives us some good competition but he too is like a younger brother to me. We are like friends. We share a brotherly bond between ourselves. When we are at the firing point, we focus only on that but otherwise are very good friends," he asserted.
Akhil Sheoran who has earned a quota for the team for the Paris Olympics will now endeavour to book a spot for himself via the NRAI trials.