Shooting to make a mark

Balancing studies and passion is never easy, moreover if your passion is shooting. City-based Esha Singh, who is just 13, became the youngest champion (senior category) in the women’s 10m Air Pistol event at the Shooting Nationals held in Kerala recently.

Esha shot a final score of 241.0, surpassing shooters like Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympics champion Manu Bhaker, and two-time ISSF World Cup gold medalist Heena Sidhu. Esha also claimed the titles in the junior and youth categories.

Elaborating on her win and how she manages to maintain a balance, she says, “I feel really nice after the win. All the hard work of my trainers bore fruit. Balancing studies and passion like pistol shooting is never easy, but in this difficult task, my school too came forward to support me. I practice for four to five hours daily, apart from travelling for national camps and tournaments.”

It’s hard work, but at the end of the day, it is her aspiration to win medals for India at the Olympics that keeps her going through the gruelling schedule. Esha has been training under Project Leap of Gagan Narang’s ‘Gun for Glory’ academy run, and was fined-tuned by Korean coach Kim Seon-il for a year. She also has a personal trainer in Sunder Ghate.

For the class VIII student of Bolton School, Secunderabad, controlling the mind is the biggest challenge. “There is stiff competition in state championships in both the south zone and nationals. At the national level there are almost 6,000 shooters who are trying to make a mark. From a distance, the game may look very easy but when we are at the professional level it’s the most difficult game to play. Its totally a mental game and controlling the mind is the biggest challenge,” she explains.

Interestingly, it was a visit to Gachibowli stadium with her father Sachin Singh that led her to the sport. A chance meeting here with her father’s friend Gautam Gianthandani, a national medallist in trap shooting sparked her interest.

Esha’s father too was into sports, being a reputed name in the field of rally driving. “I am proud of her achievements. She is only 13-years-old now, and yet she has been able to beat so many Olympians to succeed. I am really looking forward to this year for further accolades coming her way,” says father Sachin.

Apart from shooting, the teenager from the city loves to paint and click beautiful photos.