Paris medal miss fuels Maheshwari’s Asian Games drive

Indian skeet shooter Maheshwari Chauhan, who missed out on a Paris Olympic medal by the narrowest of margins, is now looking to turn her lessons from the Games into success at next month’s Asian Games in Japan.

Currently part of the Asian Games preparatory camp for trap and skeet shooters at the Karni Singh Shooting Range here, Chauhan and Anantjeet Singh Naruka finished fourth in the mixed team skeet event in Paris, missing out on the bronze medal by a single point.

Their fourth-place finish was still commendable, as they became the first Indian pair to reach the final of an Olympic skeet event.

The Rajasthan shooter, who is also a Khelo India athlete, said her Paris experience had boosted her confidence and given her a strong foundation to build on. “A debut Olympic Games can be a little strange but I did really enjoy myself and it’s given me a great base to build on and I think that’s all I want to keep going ahead, learn from that experience,” she told SAI Media on the sidelines of the camp.

“My actual expectation (from my debut Asian Games) is to really be very present and enjoy myself. I think I’m going to have the same approach to any competition. The titles keep changing and the process but the approach stays the same,” said Chauhan.

Reflecting on the 2024 moment, Maheshwari added, “It isn’t something that you can forget. And it just stays with you. And then you’re always a little more motivated and hungrier to push yourself more.”

A total of 12 shooters -- six each from the skeet and trap teams -- are part of the camp, sanctioned by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which will continue until August 18.

SAI has provided financial assistance to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) to organise the camp, covering boarding and lodging, travel, range facilities, ammunition and consumables, coaching, support staff and other requirements.

The campers:

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan.

Trap: Kynan Chenai, Neeru Dhanda, Ahvar Rizvi, Manisha Keer, Shapath Bharadwaj, Aashima Ahlawat.