At a small age of 16, Saurabh Chaudhary surprised everyone by displaying some amazing shooting skills at 2018 Asian Games which is being held from 18 August to 2 September 2018 in the Indonesian cities of Palembang and Jakarta.
In the age when a school student might be preparing for board examinations, Saurabh Chaudhary, the son of a farmer based in Kalina Village in Meerut created history by beating a pool of Olympic and world championship medal winners.
Saurabh Chaudhary creates history at Asian Games 2018
Indeed, the teenager displayed perfect maturity and calmness well beyond his age to defeat Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsuda by one point to win the men’s 10m air pistol title and set a new Asian Games record.
Superb feat from 16 year-old Saurabh Chaudhary! India's Gold medal receiver for Shooting 10m Air Pistol Men happens to be the youngest athlete in Shooting at the Asian Games! Silver goes to Tomoyuki Matsuda (JPN), Bronze to Abhishek Verma (IND). #AsianGames2018 #EnergyOfAsia pic.twitter.com/QlfQbxBoVm
— Asian Games 2018 (@asiangames2018) August 21, 2018
Chaudhary scored 240.7 to clinch the Gold medal while the 42-year-old Matsuda had to settle for silver after he misfired on the 23rd shot, an 8.9, he aggregated 239.7.
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While he became the youngest Indian to bag an Asiad gold this was his only 5th shooting gold for India in the history of games.
Further, it was a remarkable achievement for Chaudhary who has been picked ahead of Jitu Rai. After winning the gold medal, Chaudhary has won the trust of all the Indians and the selectors too.
MOMENTS like these!
16 year old #SaurabhChaudhary makes the entire nation proud winning the GOLD🥇in 10m AP Men.
Goosebumps as the Tricolor is raised the highest 🇮🇳 🤩
Congrats @Media_SAI #TOPS @OfficialNRAI on great work! OGQ is proud to support Saurabh.#AsianGames2018 pic.twitter.com/aoAVnYbSz8
— OGQ (@OGQ_India) August 21, 2018
Celebrations in Meerut
In his village, people were celebrating through the day with family members attending to visitors, exchanging sweets and dancing to the beats of dhols.
According to sources, Saurabh is a Class XI student and the youngest of 3 siblings. While his father Jagmohan Singh is a sugarcane farmer and mother Brijesh Devi, a homemaker. Further, he learned the tricks of the trade at Amit Sheoran’s academy at Benoli near Baghpat, 53 kilometers from Meerut.
Well, Saurabh’s excellent show at the event shows that the next generation of Indian shooters are taking the center stage slowly and gradually it has become evident that the future of Indian sports is in good hands.
His mother Brijesh Devi said, “All of us are extremely happy for him as he has made the entire country proud. His father was always apprehensive about him pursuing a career in a shooting but he has proved now himself before the world.”
While Nitin Chaudhary, Saurabh’s elder brother said, “It all started with plastic guns that we bought him when he was a child. Soon, he developed a liking for bursting balloons by using air guns at local fairs. However, none of us had ever imagined that he would one day go on to win gold for the country.”
#Meerut: Family members of Saurabh Chaudhary celebrate after he won gold medal in 10m air pistol event at #AsianGames2018.His mother says,“We're happy&proud of him.His father used to say that it may hinder his studies,but Saurabh was determined to excel in shooting&win a medal.” pic.twitter.com/aYOQu3qNCR
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 21, 2018
Chaudhary made the tough contest against former world champion – Tomoyuki Matsuda look easy. After an average start in the final, during which the teenager came up with 3 straight sub-10 shots, the shot 10-plus scores consistently to bridge the gap between him and the leader.
After beginning the final 1.9 points behind Matsuda, Chaudhary brought the difference down to just 0.4 before the final 2 shots.
An 8.9 at a crucial juncture by the Japanese brought the lead to the Indian who closed the contest with shots of 10.2, and 10.4.
Meanwhile, Matsuda’s 10.3 in the final shot had no impact on the results as Matsuda finished 1 point behind to take silver.
Saurabh said, “It was a tough field, but I was not thinking much about it. I just focused on my game and won.”
Well, we are proud of Saurabh’s achievement in 2018 Asian Games and we wish that he keeps on performing like this in future.
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