Jitu ‘tipped’ the balance in Suruchi’s favour

New Delhi: Teen shooting sensation Suruchi Singh’s fingers already had the talent to execute any shot when she met Jitu Rai at the national camp but the “basic tips” from the pistol stalwart proved decisive at the ISSF World Cups in South America where she struck gold more than once.

Having won a flurry of medals at India’s top domestic competitions and exhibited unflappable temperament, the 18-year-old was touted as the next big thing in Indian shooting that has been bursting at the seams with young talent.

At that point in time, what Suruchi needed was some “tips” to ensure she was able to translate those domestic results into international success, and she got the guidance from Rai. The result, she won three ISSF World Cup gold medals in a very short span of time.

“Jitu gave me some basic tips, tips which have helped me immensely here and are important to rise in the sport. I followed his advice and reaped the reward,” Suruchi said from Lima, where she won two gold medals in the World Cup to signal her arrival on the world stage with a bang.

Currently serving as one of the national team pistol coaches, the decorated former shooter quickly realised his ward’s requirements, and helped with fine-tuning. “I met her first in 2019 when she was around 12-13 years of age. She is an excellent shooter and has a very bright future in the sport. I am saying this because, besides her sound technique she has got a good temperament and remains steady while

shooting,” he said.