Suruchi Singh is from a village in Haryana that the neighbors of Manu Bhaker and train at the first Academy of the Double Olympic Medalist
About a month ago, the Suresh Singh pistol coach received a former student call. It was the double Olympic bronze medalist Manu, who started his career with the Bhiwani -based coach in 2015. Manu had called to congratulate Suresh for the performance of his last star shooter.
Regarding nationals of shooting in New Delhi last year, Suruchi had won seven impressive gold medals – claiming titles in individual and team titles in the youth, junior and senior categories and a mixed team in mixed the category of young people.
Suresh laughs remember the double Olympic medalist pulling his leg, ” Sahab coach, simple toh kabhi 7 gold medal nahi aye aapke saath! Apne Kuch Technique Chupaya Tha Simple SE! (Coach how is it that I have never won 7 gold medals during training with you. You have almost certainly kept some of your secrets of me!).
These seven gold medals would not be a flash in the pan. At the National Games, Suruchi would draw 585 others – the third consecutive consecutive competition during which it drawn this score (for the prospect, the highest score in qualification at the Olympic Games was 582) for the best qualification. She would follow this with a dominant display in the final to win gold in the 10 m female air pistol at the national games.
All the medals won by Suruchi at the national shooting championships last year.
All the medals won by Suruchi at the national shooting championships last year.
With a medal won, the 19 -year -old is already preparing to improve the event in the mixed team. “These are good scores, but I know I can do better,” she says.
While Suruchi still has a way to go to match Manu’s achievements, there are a few common sons in the stories of the two shooters outside the fact that Manu also started his career of shooting in the Dronacharya Shooting Academy of Suresh In Bhiwani where Suruchi trains today. Suruchi is from the village of Sasroli in the district of Jhajjar of Haryana, ten minutes by car from Goria, the village where Manu was born and grew up.
Although it can now be considered among India’s pistol shooters, Suruchi did not start thinking that it would be one.
Initial wrestler
It was her father Inder Singh’s decision for her to take sport. “I wanted to be an sportsman in my youth but I had to join the army for financial reasons. But I always wanted her to be a sportsman. The day she was born, I decided that I was going to do her sports, ”explains Inder, who retired as Havaldar in the Punjab regiment of the Indian army in 2019.
When he returned home after his retirement, the first choice of Inder was that his daughter became a wrestler. “We are Phogat – like (Olympians) Vinesh, Geeta and Babita. The struggle is in our blood. Our village is famous for the struggle. Goonga Pehelwan (Virend Singh, the deaf gold medalist on several occasions, is from our village. Suruchi also started in the fight, but she fractured her collarbone after a few months. After that, I decided that she should be A shooter, ”he says.
Then he decided to take his daughter to the Dronacharya Shooting Academy in Bhiwani, where Suresh held the reputation of being a high -level coach. “I was the first coach of Manu Bhaker. She came to my academy because we were the first to have the SIUS digital counters. But she progressed so quickly that she joined the national camp, then started training in Delhi, “said Suresh.
Suruchi says she was uncertain at the start of sport. “I was afraid when I heard the sound of the pistol in the range. It was really strong! I was wondering what type of sport it was, ”she says.
Coach Sureh with Manu Bhaker.
Coach Sureh with Manu Bhaker.
Her father was categorical, she persisted and slowly Suruchi says that she learned to appreciate the game. “I like filming. It is an individual sport and it is not subjective. It’s a fair game. If you draw a 10.9, it will always be a 10.9, ”she says.
Although she developed an interest and coach Suresh recognized his talent, there were other challenges. “Filming is an expensive sport and we come from a very normal family. For many years, Sureh Sahab I did not take money from us to train it. But there are expenses on which we cannot compromise, ”explains Inder.
After initially used a pistol provided to his academy, Inder bought a used pistol a few years after starting to turn. Although it is a five -year play, she has always made a serious series in Inder’s resources. He had devoted himself to the training of his daughter after his retirement, but the only source of income from the family was his pension. “The pistols are really expensive. The first I bought for her cost a few lakhs. I also bought two more for her now so that she has a spare one. If she were to travel for competitions, I can’t say no. I took many loans to pay for this. I reimburse them slowly. I pay attention to money, I haven’t even bought a new set of clothes for me in the past two years. Everything goes for the Suruchi shot, ”he says.
Sometimes jugaad (improvisations) had to occur. “I wanted Suruchi to get home too, but his family could not afford a range. So we used what we call a Pippa. We take an empty box used to store ghee and place a paper target on it. Then we measure 10m from there and it shot at this distance, ”explains Suresh.
Daily train trip
The tight budget also meant having to reduce costs by going to the range to practice. “Bhiwani is about 60 kilometers from our home. Taking a vehicle means spending at least six liters of fuel every day, ”explains Inder.
Instead, Suruchi and his father take the local train at 9:45 a.m. every day. “We are going to Jharli Junction near our home, then take the train to Bhiwani Junction. From there, we take an electronic chick in the shooting field. It takes an hour and a half on each side, ”explains Suruchi. Although the transport of a pistol throughout safely may seem a difficult task, Inder does not think about it much. “Now, even the guys in security know her,” he said.
The three-hour daily round trip trip is tiring and the four hours it spends every day to the range is hectic, but Suruchi has converted, which puts itself in results. She participated in her first Junior World Cup in Suhl in 2023 where she won bronze in the team team and finished 6 th in the individual event. She also participated in the Asian junior championships in 2023 and 2024.
Coach Suresh with Suruchi and his father Inder.
Coach Suresh with Suruchi and his father Inder.
While she was a competent junior shooter, she struck her stride after entering the senior category. She scored her first score of 585 at the Kumar shooting championships SUGH will be in 2024 in June 2024 before following this with her scores at the national championships and now the national games.
Although it is still developing as a shooter, coach Suresh says that she has several good qualities that will serve as a strong basis for her. “He is not a very complicated shooter. He is someone who is a quick shooter. When she starts her qualification, she will keep a stopwatch next to her. His goal is to finish his series in 45 minutes. But it is not because she is a quick shooter that she is negligent. She is not trying to force her shot. Its best quality is to achieve very quickly when it is about to hit a bad blow and that it retreats without shooting it, ”explains Suresh.
Having won gold during its first two national level competitions, Suruchi will now prepare for the selection tests of seniors in New Delhi in four days. If she has performed well enough, she could make the team that will compete for the Indian team in international competitions this season.
Although this is the immediate objective of Suruchi, she houses ambitions to achieve what her illustrious shooter of a neighboring village and once the same range A. “I met Manu Didi Sometimes a few times. But I hope I can also compete well against her. She has done a lot and maybe I can also do it. Of course, I think of the Olympic Games. Hmm Bhi Khelenge. Hmm Bhi the Ke Ayenge Medal! (I will also play the Olympic Games. I will also win a medal) ” she said.
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