‘It represents how far I have come’: Pistol shooter Suruchi on her journey to Asian Games

New Delhi, Aug 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) From being an unknown 13-year-old in Bhiwani, without even an Indian jersey, to earning the right to wear the national colours at the Asian Games, shooter Suruchi Inder Singh Phogat's journey is a testament to how far she has come, and the young athlete cherishes the pride of representing India on the biggest stage.

Suruchi's first encounter with a pistol at the Guru Dronacharya Shooting Academy in Bhiwani wasn't driven by ambition for world records. As a 13-year-old from Sasroli village in Haryana's Jhajjar district, she traveled there by local train with her father and brothers, without any sponsorship or recognition in the sport. Seven years later, now 20, she has become a junior world record holder, won multiple ISSF World Cup gold medals, and is one of India's top contenders for medals at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Her journey has been characterised by gradual, silent transformation rather than sudden fame.

"When I started shooting, nobody knew me. I was just a normal 13-year-old girl who didn't even have an Indian jersey. Today, wearing that jersey is something I'm genuinely proud of. For me, it represents how far I have come," Suruchi said, reflecting on the distance she has covered since those early days in Bhiwani.

Shooting wasn't the sport she was destined for either. She found her way to it almost by chance, and has never looked back since. "I'm actually thankful that I came into shooting. If I had chosen another sport, especially a team sport, maybe I wouldn't have reached this far. Shooting gave me the chance to build something on my own, and I'm happy with where that has taken me."

To the outside world, the sport can look deceptively simple, just a shooter standing still, taking aim. Suruchi insists that it couldn't be further from the truth. "People look at shooting and think, 'What is so difficult? You just have to stand and shoot.' They don't see what is happening inside you. Controlling your thoughts, your breathing and your emotions while every shot matters, that is the real challenge."

That internal struggle has also influenced how she handles days when things don't go as planned. "A medal is not the only thing I take away from a competition. If I don't win, I look for the mistake. Maybe my technique was wrong, maybe something was missing. I find it, learn from it and come back better. That is how I improve."

She attributes part of that steady progress to the structure established by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for its shooters. "NRAI has given me much more than just the opportunity to compete. The coaches, camps have changed the way I train, prepare and understand my game. I have become a much more disciplined athlete because of that support."

For Suruchi, the value lies less in facilities than in familiarity. "The biggest advantage is that our coaches know us closely. They see us train, they understand our game and they know when something is not right. So when we reach a competition, they are not trying to understand us for the first time; they already know what we need."

Her results clearly reflect that support. Suruchi concluded the 2025 season by setting a junior world record at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha. She maintained that momentum into 2026, earning a mixed team silver with Samrat Rana at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in New Delhi. Subsequently, she achieved a historic one-two finish with Esha Singh in the women's 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. This performance also secured her an automatic place at the World Cup Final in Rome later this year.

With the Asian Games nearing, Suruchi intentionally avoids paying attention to the scoreboard. "At the Asian Games, I don't want to think about what the result will be. I just want to fight for every shot, give my 100 per cent and leave the range knowing I gave everything I had for that medal."

Source: IANS