Chateauroux, Jul 30 (IANS): When 13-year-old Sarabjot Singh first told his farmer father that he wanted to stop playing football and take up shooting, Jatinder Singh dissuaded him as it cost a lot to pursue the expensive sport. But Jitender Singh eventually relented when his son continued to urge him for the next few months, asking to be allowed to pursue his new-found hobby.

The hard work and sacrifice by the father with modest means eventually paved the way for a historic moment as Sarabjot on Tuesday bagged a bronze medal for India in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the Paris Olympic Games, becoming part of the first Indian pair to win an Olympic medal in the team event.

Sarabjot's journey to an Olympic medal is one littered with setbacks and disappointments. But he persisted and now is reaping the reward for his perseverance and hard work.

If his journey to the Olympics was marked by sweat and toil, his time at the Games was not easy either.

Disappointed after finishing ninth in the men's 10m Air Pistol Individual event, India's Sarabjot Singh on Tuesday bounced back to clinch his maiden Olympic bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, partnering with Manu Bhaker. In the individual event, Sarabjot, who hails from Dheen village of Ambala district in Haryana, was edged out by German Robin Walter by the slimmest of margins in the men's 10m Air Pistol event, just one inner 10 shot less.

But Sarabjot made sure his next outing in Paris didn't go to waste.

Manu and Sarabjot qualified for the bronze medal match with a score of 580 in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Qualification Round, finishing third overall.

In the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team bronze medal match, Sarabjot and Manu faced the South Korean duo of Oh Ye Jin and Lee Won Ho at the Chateauroux Shooting Range. The match saw some tense moments, particularly when the Koreans mounted a comeback, but the Indian pair held its nerves to secure a 16-10 victory. This win not only secured India a bronze medal but also marked a significant milestone in Sarabjot's burgeoning career.

The 22-year-old Sarabjot took to shooting on seeing a few kids playing with air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp. He was 13 then and harboured hopes of becoming a footballer.

But seeing the kids aiming at paper targets with pistols stayed in his mind and changed the course of his life.

In 2014, Sarabjot told his father that he wanted to pursue shooting. His father Jitender Singh initially discouraged him considering the high cost of the sport but eventually relented after Sarabjot's interest persisted.

Sarabjot repaid the faith five years later by winning gold in the ISSF Junior World Championship at Suhl, Germany in 2019.

Though Sarabjot's journey in shooting began in a rather humble setting -- at a school camp organized in a village near Ambala, his rise under coach Shakti Rana has been meteoric.

Though the camp's limited resources meant that one pistol had to be shared among more than 30 trainees, Sarabjot's interest persisted. When the academy closed in 2016, Sarabjot's passion for shooting led him to the Shooters Terrace Academy at Ambala Cantt, where he trained under coach Abhishek Rana. The commute was challenging; with no direct buses from his village, Sarabjot would ride his bicycle to a friend's house and then catch a bus to the academy.

It wasn't until early 2017 that Sarabjot's father could afford to buy him his first pistol. This was after Sarabjot won a youth bronze medal at the National Shooting Championship, a testament to his potential.

Sarabjot has many times said that his father's support and sacrifice, especially considering their modest means, were crucial in his rise.

In 2019, he won gold at the Junior World Cup and Asian Championships, earning his first cash award from the Haryana Government the following year. His stellar performances continued, with two World Cup titles in the last 18 months and a bronze at the Asian Championships last year, where he secured a quota for India at the Paris Olympics. His consistent form was evident in the Olympic trials, where he posted impressive scores of 579, 581, 581, and 584.

Achievements:

Asian Games (2022) - Gold medal in team event & Silver medal in mixed team event.

Asian Championship, Korea (2023) - Bronze medal in the 10m air pistol individual event along with Olympics 2024 quota place for the country.

World Cup, Bhopal (2023) - Gold medal in the Individual event

World Cup, Baku, (2023) - Gold medal in Mixed Team event

Junior World Cup, Suhl (2022) - 1 Gold medal in team event & 2 Silver medals in individual & mixed team events.

Junior World Championship, Lima (2021) - 2 Gold medals in team & mixed team events.