New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS): Paris Paralympics Games 2024 bronze medalist Rubina Francis expressed her feelings on being conferred with the Arjuna Award recently for her achievements at both national and international level.

Francis recently appeared on the House of Glory podcast, an initiative by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation. The star has established herself as a prominent figure in para shooting, particularly in the Women's 10m Air Pistol SH1 category.

Building on her successful track record, Rubina secured her place to represent India at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris and then went on to win her first Olympics medal- a bronze.

“I am extremely honoured to be receiving the Arjuna Award and very thankful to the Indian government for recognising my achievements. This is a very special moment for me and my family as getting a National award is a dream for any athlete. It seems that my hardwork has finally paid off and it almost feels unreal, After all the challenges that I faced in last 3-4 years, this achievement has become even more special,” she said.

Francis qualified for her first Olympics in 2020 during the Tokyo Paralympics but finished seventh. In her conversation, she revealed how her performance in Tokyo put her in a tough space, also making her think about leaving the sport.

“I sat at home and analysed myself. I wrote a full detail about what all went wrong and then I read it. That’s when I realised how immature I was during Tokyo. An athlete properly plans before going to such a significant stage but that planning was not there with me. Both I and country had to face the consequences. Everybody was upset,” revealed Francis.

However, she overcame her shortcomings and applied the learnings in Paris, which helped her attain success in the tournament. She spent six months after her loss in Tokyo, working on herself, learning to develop control over her mind to ensure that she does well in her sport.

Francis again faced a tough phase when she continuously lost quotas in almost all the quota matches that took place between 2022 and 2024. However, she didn’t give up and entered the Paralympics with the same spirit.

“I don’t let the demotivation upset me for many days. It only lasts for one or maximum two months. But post that, I became normal, which is very important. Sports psychology is very important. If I had realised it before Tokyo, I would have won a medal or at least delivered a good performance. I wouldn’t have regretted or wasted six months,” Francis added while discussing the importance of mental health.