Who is Sarabjot Singh, India's bronze medallist at Paris Olympics

Sarabjot Singh became the newest Olympic medallist in India’s history when he and Manu Bhaker clinched the bronze in 10m air pistol mixed team event at Paris Olympics.

Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more

In the bronze medal match, Sarabjot and Bhaker edged Korean pairing with much ease to book their spot on the podium and move India’s tally in France to two.

Who is Sarabjot Singh?

The 22-year-old hails from Dheen village in Ambala, Haryana and came through the AR Shooting Academy in Central Phoenix Club under the coaching of Abhishek Rana.

Sarabjot saw a few kids wielding air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp. He was 13 then and harboured hopes of becoming a footballer.

But the sight of kids aiming at paper targets with pistols didn’t leave his mind. In 2014, He went to his father and said, ‘Dad, I want to pursue shooting.’ His father Jitender Singh, a farmer, told his son that the sport is pretty expensive.

Eventually, Sarabjot insisted for months to play shooting and made it count with a gold medal at Junior World Championship, Suhl in 2019.

Having done his education from DAV School in Chandigarh, his prospects were high coming into the Olympics. At the 2022 Asian Games, he won a gold and a silver in 10m air pistol team and 10m air pistol mixed team events.

In 2023 and 2024 ISSF World Cups, he won three gold medals (including one in Munich in June).

The World No. 14 also won a bronze medal in 2023 Changwon Asian Shooting Championship and sealed a Paris Olympics quota place for India in men’s 10m air pistol.

Prior to it, in 2021 he won the gold in both the individual and team events of the World Championships. In 2019, he won gold in the ISSF Junior World Cup.

Coming into the Paris Olympics, he had told The Hindu, “I don’t feel any pressure. I am giving my best, don’t feel low, don’t feel anything related to the Olympics.”

How the government has funded his medal?

Sarabjot is a Khelo India Scholarship athlete as well as a Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) athlete.

He received assistance towards training and participation in international competitions from Jan 17, 2023 to Feb 18, 2023 along with a coach.

He also received assistance towards expenses of personal trainer, Mr. Abhishek Rana for attending the Volmerange OTC (scheduled by NRAI) and the Paris Olympics (at Chateauroux) along with the shooter.

He received financial assistance of Rs. 20.24 lakhs (Rs. 20,24,928) under TOPS and Rs. 1.26 crore (Rs. 1,26,20,970) under Annual Calendar for Training and Competitions (ACTC).

What are Sarabjot Singh’s achievements?

Paris Olympics (2024) - Bronze medal in mixed team event

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.