Pistol shooter Sarabjot in fitness race as major events approach

Pistol shooter Sarabjot Singh has been on a low since winning the gold at the Bhopal World Cup March. A shoulder injury has kept him out of action but with the selection trials for the Asian Games and World Championships scheduled in late June, he is racing against time to get fit.

He competed at the Khelo India University Games on Wednesday to test his fitness and form for the bigger competitions. The outcome was not up to expectations, though he and Manu Bhaker won gold in the air pistol mixed team event. The Panjab University duo beat Varun Dubey and Vibhuti Bhatia of Delhi University 16-2 at Delhi’s Karni Singh Shooting Ranges.

“I was having pain during the final, so shots were not on target. I just wanted to compete to see how I feel because we have selection trials next month,” he said.

“The last three months have been very difficult. I have not lifted my pistol after Bhopal. The doctors diagnosed it as shoulder impingement because of excessive shooting and asked me to take complete rest.”

Sarabjot, who comes from Ambala, has impressed in the last two years. In 2021, he won a clutch of medals in the World Junior Championships in Lima and became a national champion. He has made a quick transition to the senior international circuit, emerging as one of India’s top pistol shooters post the Tokyo Games. “The World Cup gold in Bhopal added to my confidence. I was very focused and once I made it to the final, I knew it could be a big day for me.”

Sarabjot has been working on his rehab and strengthening exercises. He will start training in three weeks. “I am much better now and in the next 20 days my rehab will be over.”

That will however leave him with little time to prepare for the two selection trials, scheduled from June 24-30. “It’s a very important year and I don’t want to miss the Asian Games and World Championships which will have Paris Olympics quota places. But the coach has told me not to compete until I recover fully.”

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