Chandigarh's Suman Babu has brought laurels to the city by winning the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle event at the National Shooting Championships. The competition, held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi, saw Suman Babu outperform a strong field of shooters from across the country.
Impressive Performance
Suman Babu, representing Chandigarh, displayed remarkable composure and precision throughout the final. She shot a series of consistent scores, eventually finishing with a total of 251.3 points, ahead of silver medalist Mehuli Ghosh of West Bengal, who scored 250.8 points. The bronze medal went to Elavenil Valarivan of Tamil Nadu with a score of 230.1 points.
Journey to Success
Suman Babu, a student of Panjab University, has been training at the Chandigarh Shooting Range under coach Harpreet Singh. Her dedication and hard work have paid off as she continues to make her mark in the sport. This victory adds to her growing list of achievements, including a bronze medal at the ISSF Junior World Cup in 2019.
Speaking after her win, Suman expressed her gratitude to her coaches and family. She said, "I am delighted to win this gold. The competition was tough, but I stayed focused and executed my plans well. This motivates me to work even harder for future events."
National Championships Highlights
The National Shooting Championships, organized by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), featured top shooters competing in various disciplines. The event serves as a crucial platform for selecting the national team for upcoming international competitions.
- Women's 10m air rifle: Suman Babu (Chandigarh) - Gold, Mehuli Ghosh (West Bengal) - Silver, Elavenil Valarivan (Tamil Nadu) - Bronze
- Men's 10m air rifle: Divyansh Singh Panwar (Rajasthan) - Gold, Arjun Babuta (Punjab) - Silver, Ravi Kumar (Haryana) - Bronze
The championship saw several new records and outstanding performances, highlighting the depth of shooting talent in India.
Future Prospects
With this gold, Suman Babu has strengthened her case for selection to the Indian team for the Asian Games and World Championships. Her consistent performances in domestic and international events make her a promising prospect for Indian shooting. The NRAI is expected to announce the national squad soon, taking into account performances at these nationals.
Suman's success is a testament to the growing infrastructure and support for shooting sports in Chandigarh. The city has produced several national and international shooters, and Suman's achievement adds to its proud legacy.
