India's star shooter Sift Kaur Samra may have won a gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, but the world record she scripted in the women's 50m rifle 3 position event gave her far more satisfaction.
Last week, Samra scripted history by breaking a world record to clinch gold in the women's 50m rifle 3 competition at the Asian Games.
This made her the first Indian to secure an individual yellow at this year's edition of the Asian Games.
In what was a superlative performance from Kamra, she ended the competition with a score of 469.6 after firing 45 shots together in the standing, kneeling, and prone positions.
With this, she surpassed British shooter Seonaid McIntosh's world record of 467 by 2.6 points, which she created a few months ago in Baku.
Against this backdrop, Kamra spoke to Sputnik India in an exclusive interview, where she shared anecdotes from her journey from a medical student to an Asiad Gold medalist to the role of parents in her career to what the future holds for her.
Sputnik: From being a medical student at a college in Punjab to becoming the first individual gold medalist for India at the Hangzhou Asian Games, how's your journey been?
Sift Kaur Samra: I think my journey has been great. In fact, I would say that my switch from a medical college in Faridkot to a shooting range changed my life. There are not many people, at least in India, who wish to take such a plunge of leaving a bright future as a doctor to a sport like shooting, but I did it, and my parents did that as well.
It is difficult for Indians to change this myth surrounding sports as a profession, especially when people point out that being a doctor is one of the most secure careers.
Being a professional shooter was my dream and for that, I left my MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) course after my gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, I hope youngsters will give their dreams a priority and follow a career in a field that they love and not just to earn a livelihood.
Asian Games
© AP Photo / Vincent Thian
Sputnik: What was more satisfying for you - winning the gold medal or breaking the world record at the Asian Games?
Sift Kaur Samra: I think both were incredible achievements. However, I wasn't aware that I had created a world record. But after I clinched the gold medal and came back for the media session, some reporters informed me that I had set a new world record.
I would say scripting a world record is much more appreciable than bagging the gold medal in the Asiad. India's star shuttler P.V. Sindhu recently told me that athletes don't set world records every day, so enjoy the moment and bask in the glory of rewriting history books.
Sputnik: With the Asian Games gold medal in the bag, is winning India's second-ever gold medal in shooting at next year's Paris Olympics your main target now?
Sift Kaur Samra: Abhinav Bindra, who is the only Indian shooter thus far to win an Olympic gold medal, put in a lot of hard work to achieve that feat.
From my point of view, I will just give my best in Paris if I am selected to represent India at next year's Olympics as the team for the Games in France is yet to be finalized.
But like any other athlete, I wish to participate in the Olympics and win gold for India in Paris.
Sputnik: With India's shooting contingent registering a record performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games, do you think the Indian shooters are on course to claim a couple of medals at the Paris Olympics?
Sift Kaur Samra: I feel like the Indian shooters would put up a scintillating show at the Olympics in Paris. Though I can't comment more about the Paris Games which are still 10 months away.
As far as the Asian Games are concerned, I can say that the shooters gave their best, and that's why the Indian shooting team won seven gold, nine silver, and five bronze medals in Hangzhou.
Sift Kaur Samra
© AP Photo / Vincent Thian
Sputnik: What role have your parents played in your journey as an athlete?
Sift Kaur Samra: My parents have played a frontline role in my career as they were the ones who backed me to the hilt when I decided to quit medical college and pick shooting as a career.
From documentation to arranging ammunition for practice sessions to sending my entries to tournaments, everything is arranged by my father and my work is only to go to the shooting range and just, shoot, shoot and shoot.
In Particular, my father has made enormous sacrifices for me. Initially, when I aspired to become an athlete, he took me to several places in the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata where shooting camps were held.
I would say that for my life, my parents left their life and that's why I call them my lifeline.