Saurabh Chaudhary won gold in 10m Air Pistol at Asian Games. (Source: Reuters)
Saurabh Chaudhary became India’s first gold medallist shooter at the Asian Games and the third gold medallist from India at the Jakarta-Pelambeng Games. By winning gold in 10m Air Pistol, Saurabh created an Asian Games record of 240.7 points by taking the lead over 2010 World Champion Tomoyuki Matsuda on the penultimate shot in the 24-shot final. A quick look at Saurabh Chaudhary – India’s Asian Games gold medallist:
Who is Saurabh Chaudhary?
AGE: 16-years-old
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kalina village in Meerut
Saurabh Chaudhary only took up the sport three years back.
ISSF DEBUT: Asian Championships at Tehran in 2016
RECORD: Saurabh Chaudhary is the fifth Indian gold medallist at Asian Games in shooting
TRAINING: Amit Sheoran’s academy at Benoli near Baghpat (53 kms from Meerut)
JUNIORS RECORD: 243.7 points at ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany
YOUTH OLYMPICS: Saurabh Chaudhary qualified for the Youth Olympics Games with a gold medal and a junior world record at the qualification.
SAURABH CHAUDHARY – PUNCHING ABOVE WEIGHT
Not just eclipsing the 2010 World Champion Matsuda in the finals, he beat a field of World and Olympic champions to win the event at the Asian Games. Matsuda, 42, misfired on the 23rd shot, an 8.9, to settle for silver. He scored 239.7. Chaudhary’s last two shots were a 10.2 and 10.4, giving him the decisive lead. On the other hand, the Japanese’s last two shots were an 8.9 and 10.3.
‘I like farming’
“I like farming. We don’t get much time off from training but whenever I do, I go back to my Village (Kalina) and help my father. I did not feel any pressure.