Olympics 2024: Siachen warrior Sandeep now aims for Paris glory in shooting

Indian shooter Sandeep Singh's steely resolve to fight his inner demons and come back stronger as a sports shooter came in the hostile environment of Siachen, the highest battle-field in the world, where he endured temperatures as low as -40 degrees C and stayed in a tent cooking his own food like a caveman.

Sandeep, the 10m air rifle shooter, who showed great determination to hang on in the face of stiff challenge from rival shooters to win the Olympic Selection Trials and secure a Paris berth earlier this year, said that grind in the tough environment, will help him achieve success in Paris.

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"It's like you are alone in the snowy wilderness at -40 degrees C. The food also you have to prepare alone in the camp," Sandeep, 28, told PTI on the sidelines of the ceremonial send-off of the Paris-bound Indian athletes and the unveiling of the playing kits of the contingent here on Sunday.

Sandeep, who overcame the challenge of world champion shooter Rudrankksh Patil in the trials to secure a Paris berth, said the environment in Siachen, however, gave him "time" to think about how to get back into the national squad.

Sandeep was a reserve shooter for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but a dip in form after that led to the Havildar being sent back to his unit. He got posted in Siachen for six months between 2021-2022.

"That was the time I got time to think, to contemplate my future... what I have to do in future, and how to improve my shooting skills," said Sandeep, who hails from a lower-middle class family with his father working as a daily wager and his two brothers working as bike mechanics.
 

"I don't come from a family of sportspersons. I used to do cross-country running twice a day for 7-8km in my village in Faridkot district to get into the Army. My younger brother was not so lucky. He and my elder brother are bike mechanics now," added Sandeep who got recruited in the Army as a Sepoy.

"Before getting the Army job, I have done everything, from being a laborer to doing daily-wage jobs."

Sandeep was quick to make full use of the opportunity with his first foray into shooting coming in the form of an INSAS rifle, an assault rifle, which also doubles up as a light machine gun.

"During training with INSAS rifles, I did really well, and my seniors said I should be given opportunities in shooting sport. There also I did well, winning medals in competitions at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow."

Sandeep's success in Mhow paved the way for his entry into the national side.
 

"I got selected for the National Championships and won a silver in 2018. Thanks to the medal I became a Havildar and got into the national side. I have played close to a dozen international competitions and was a reserve for the Tokyo Olympics as well," he adds.

Sandeep says he simply stuck to his task in the Olympic Selection Trials in April-May this year just relying on his process and years of training to secure a Paris berth.

"I only told myself during training ahead of the selection trials that I need to raise the level of my focus and hold it for a long duration. That was my only aim," he said, adding he still enjoys the same camaraderie with Rudrankksh Patil, the champion marksman he beat for the Paris berth.

"I have all the respect for Rudrankksh. But what I was taught in training I implemented that in competition. I have not been able to speak to him after the trials but we remain good teammates," he said.