Who is Sift Kaur Samra? All you need to know about the Indian shooter competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics
Sift Kaur Samra is a rising star in Indian shooting and a strong medal contender for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Competing in the women's 50-meter rifle, three positions, Samra has already made her mark on the international stage. At just 22 years old, she now looks to leave her mark on the biggest stage.
Sift first gained widespread attention after setting a world record at the Asian Games 2023, where she won her maiden gold medal. She finished with a total score of 469.6 after 15 shots each in the kneeling, prone, and standing positions, breaking the previous world record held by Britain's Seonaid McIntosh by 2.6 points.
Some remarkable achievements have marked Sift Kaur Samra's journey to the Paris Olympics. She earned an Olympic quota for India in August 2023 during the ISSF World Championships in Baku, finishing fifth in the women's 50-meter rifle three-position event.
Her qualification was finalized at the Olympic Selection Trials in Bhopal in May 2024.
Sift Kaur Samra's career in brief
Sift Kaur Samra was introduced to shooting at the age of 9 by her cousin, a shotgun shooter, who took her to a shooting range in Punjab. Initially, Sift balanced her studies with her growing passion for the sport.
Sift excelled academically, passing the NEET exam and pursuing an MBBS degree in Faridkot. Eventually, she decided to drop out of medical school to focus on shooting, quickly rising to prominence while representing India on the international stage.
She has collected five medals at the Junior World Cup and made an impressive debut at the ISSF World Cup in 2022 with a bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions along with a gold at the Junior Cup in 2022.
Sift's success continued with a silver medal in the women’s 50-meter rifle three-position team event at the Asian Games 2023. She claimed yet another bronze at the ISSF World Cup 2023.
Recent performances have further bolstered Sift's prospects. She won a bronze medal at the ISSF World Cup 2024 in Munich, scoring 452.9 points. Earlier this year, she secured a silver medal at the Asian Championship in Jakarta with a final score of 460.6.