India faced a tough blow in the men’s 10m Air Pistol event at the Paris Olympics 2024 as Sarabjot Singh narrowly missed out on qualifying for the final 8. Sarabjot’s journey ended in heartbreak as he finished 9th, losing the last qualifying spot to Germany’s Robin Walter by a razor-thin margin.
The competition started on a hopeful note for Sarabjot. Despite a modest score of 94 in his first series, he quickly regained his form. His performance improved significantly in the second and third series, scoring 97 and 96 respectively. By the end of the third series, Sarabjot had positioned himself well within the top contenders.
The fourth series was particularly impressive. Sarabjot delivered a flawless round, hitting all 10s and momentarily climbing into the top 3. However, the fifth series became a turning point. He managed only a score of 93, which added immense pressure going into the final series.
In the decisive sixth series, Sarabjot scored a mix of 9s and 10s. Despite ending with the same overall score as Robin Walter, the tiebreaker came down to inner 10s—shots that are closer to the center of the target. Walter had more inner 10s, edging out Sarabjot for the final qualifying spot.
India’s other competitor in the event, Arjun Singh Cheema, also had a challenging day. He started strong with a score of 96 in his first series but struggled to maintain consistency, ultimately finishing in 18th place.
The results were a disappointment for the Indian shooting team, which had high hopes for this event. Sarabjot’s near miss highlights the fine margins and intense competition at the Olympic level, where even the smallest difference can determine the outcome.
On the first day of the Paris 2024 Olympics, India’s mixed team also faced setbacks in the 10m Air Rifle event. Both pairs, Elavenil Valarivan and Sandeep Singh, along with Ramita Jindal and Arjun Babuta, failed to make it to the finals. The closest attempt came from Jindal and Babuta, who finished sixth, just one point shy of advancing.
The Indian contingent will look to bounce back from these early disappointments and aim for better results in the upcoming events.
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