Sarabjot Singh: A lion-hearted Sikh enjoys his moment in the Chateauroux sun after clinching Olympic bronze

Sarabjot Singh and Manu Bhaker pose for a photo with their Olympic bronze medal (X/CricCrazyJohns)

An Olympic medal on debut – it could not have been much sweeter for Sarabjot Singh, Manu Bhaker’s partner in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Tuesday. A lion-hearted Sikh who believes in training for hours, Sarabjot hails from a small village near Ambala in Haryana.

When he was in school, coaches saw sporting potential in him. Yet, it was only when he was chosen and mentored by Abhishek Rana, a former junior shooter himself, in Ambala that Sarabjot became dedicated.

“Sarabjot is a patient listener and will always do his best,” said Rana. “We have tried many things at training and he has responded well.”

Our shooters continue to make us proud!

Congratulations to @realmanubhaker and Sarabjot Singh for winning the Bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the #Olympics. Both of them have shown great skills and teamwork. India is incredibly delighted.

For Manu, this… pic.twitter.com/loUsQjnLbN

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— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2024

This campaign at the Olympics was a hard one for Sarabjot. When he competed first, in 10m Air Pistol individual event, he was extremely unlucky not to make it to the final. One of only two shooters in the top 10 to shoot a perfect series of 100, Sarabjot paid the price for following that with a 93. In the end, he missed out on the final – only the first 8 qualify – on account of having hit one fewer X than Germany’s Robin Walter, who had also tallied 577 points.

But after that crushing disappointment, Rana made him sit down and relax. The last two days were about patience and penance, where Sarabjot realised that he and his teammate could fire without fear at the target.

He has a calm mindset, which ensures he does not get flustered. His father has backed the son all along. Jitender Singh said he was happy for his son and Manu. “This medal is for India,” said Jitender. “I will go to the Gurdwara and pray today.”

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Not many would know that even during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sarabjot was training for the air pistol. It included jugaad methods, as ranges were not allowed to function. “Those days were hard but I am grateful Sarabjot did not lose heart,” said Rana. “He met the Prime Minister last year after success in the Asian Games. This time, I am glad, the IOA permitted me to come here.”

Sarabjot is reserved and shy by nature. When he shoots alongside Manu, he knows how they are supposed to deal with pressure. Those who have seen him at the shooting ranges in New Delhi will vouch for his temperament. Unlike some other athletes who use social media excessively, Sarabjot is happiest away from the spotlight.

In shooting, Sarabjot has also learnt that it is important to understand what your partner is doing in her lane before taking aim. "We work out a rhythm for shooting together,” said Rana. “Both Manu and Sarabjot do it in practice.”

In exclusive arrangement with RevSportz