A journey from sugarcane fields to Tokyo Olympics

Making of a champion – The story of shooter Saurabh Choudhary

Video Link: https://youtu.be/jTHOPJDa88A

The story is about shooter Saurabh Choudhary and how despite the limited facilities coach Amit Sheoran produced a world-class shooter from a basic range at village Binauli in Baghpat, western Uttar Pradesh.

In the name of shooting range they have a basic structure with outdated electrical pulleys – nowadays the electronic targets are used. In the scorching heat, the shooters train under the ceiling fan – generally you will find air conditioned ranges. For holding exercises the trainees use bricks instead of weights and if the trainees are more, then some have to do the holding exercises under the tree in the premises of a temple adjoining the shooting range.

Likes of Amit Sheoran have made shooting a rural sport in the Baghpat-Meerut belt. In the last one-and-half decade shooting has helped many youngsters in the rural belt of Baghpat to get government jobs under the sports quota. But Saurabh’s exponential growth in the sport has changed everyone’s perspective in Baghpat region. Now, the kids want to learn shooting to be an Asian Games champion or to compete in the Olympics like him.

You can watch an interview at YouTube channel ‘Sports Gaon’.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/jTHOPJDa88A