Jonathan Gavin Anthony was totally engrossed in his favorite cartoon, Oggy and the Cockroaches, after making it to the final of the 10m air pistol event on Sunday. The next morning, this 15-year-old from Karnataka showed up for the final and pulled off a major surprise at the National Games shooting competition.

Despite facing tough competition, including Paris Olympics medallist Sarabjot Singh, Jonathan kept his cool and scored 240.7 in the final, earning the title of the youngest pistol champion at the Games. Ravinder Singh from Services snagged the silver with a score of 240.3, while the experienced Gurpreet Singh took home the bronze with 220.1. Sarabjot, who previously won a mixed team bronze with Manu Bhaker in Chateauroux, finished in fourth place.

During the qualification round, Jonathan edged out Tokyo Olympian Saurabh Chaudhary for the last spot in the final, both scoring 578. They had the same number of inner 10s, but Jonathan advanced thanks to a stronger final series. "I was really nervous at the start with so many top shooters around, and my first shot was a 9.1. But I managed to regain my focus and improved from there," the teenager shared.

Jonathan's mom, Ancy, who’s traveling with him, got him into shooting in 2022 after he tried out a bunch of other sports. Ancy, a former college shooter, really wanted her son to give it a shot. "I wanted him to do shooting. I was into rifle shooting back in college. He was into skating, gymnastics, chess, and football. He really loves skating and football, but I thought an individual sport would be good for him," Ancy, who works at a multinational company, explains.

"He’s having a blast with it. I was a bit anxious the night before the finals, but he just downloaded some cartoons and kept watching them. Right now, it’s all about fun; when he gets serious, he’ll understand how big this is for us."

The young shooting star is aiming to make the team for the junior world championships. He’s already competed in Khelo India, junior nationals, and other local events. Winning a gold medal here has given him a fantastic boost as he gears up for the upcoming selection trials.

"My class 10 board exams are coming up, so I need to hit the books. I’ll head to Bengaluru and then back to Delhi for the trials. I’m aiming for the 2028 Olympics," Jonathan shares, who trains under KY Sharandra at the Hawkeye academy in Bengaluru.

Read Also: Ravichandran Ashwin Calls for Change: Suryakumar Yadav Must Adapt After Disappointing Series

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!