New Delhi: A Phogat is making a name for herself in Indian sports, but it’s not through wrestling. Suruchi Phogat had a brief stint in wrestling that ended due to an injury, leading her to fully embrace shooting instead. Now 18, she’s become the standout star of the season with her impressive performances in local competitions.

On Wednesday at the Trishul Shooting Range in Dehradun, Suruchi clinched the gold medal in the 10m air pistol event at the National Games, outshining a tough lineup that included Asian Games champion Palak Gulia and the experienced Rahi Sarnobat, who is making a comeback. Suruchi scored an impressive 245.7, while Palak finished with 243.6. The two were neck-and-neck until the 16th shot, both tied at 162.3 points. But Suruchi kept her cool and fired two near-perfect shots of 10.7 and 10.8, giving her the lead. From that point on, she never looked back, finishing the qualification round with a score of 585.

Last month at the National Championships, Suruchi dominated by winning all three individual titles—senior, junior, and youth—along with gold in both the team and mixed team events. Just like Paris Olympics medallist Manu Bhaker and Asian Games silver medallist Esha Singh, she made a strong statement on the domestic scene by sweeping the nationals.

I head into competitions with a winning attitude. I trust my shooting skills and rely on my training. I stick to my technique and focus on getting the fundamentals right in every match, Suruchi shared with HT. “My first series today wasn’t great, and I found myself in fifth place, but I bounced back in the second series and climbed to the top, keeping my lead.”

Suruchi is competing in an event that’s gained fame thanks to Manu Bhaker’s Olympic bronze. She’s eager to make her own mark. They share a lot in common, both hailing from Haryana’s Jhajjar district, with Suruchi’s village, Sasroli, being close to Manu’s home. They both trained at the same academy under the same coach, Suresh Singh.

“I’ve chatted with her (Manu) a few times since I started shooting. We trained at Dronacharya Shooting Academy together before she moved on to represent India,” Suruchi mentioned to HT.

“The medals I won at the nationals last month really boosted my confidence. I didn’t get to train much afterward because I was busy with my BA exams,” said the student from Government College, Birohar in Jhajjar.

Manu is set to kick off her season at the domestic trials starting next week, with her sights firmly set on the World Cups and World Championships later this year. Suruchi will also be competing, eager to keep her winning momentum going and secure a spot on the India team for her first World Cup. She previously represented India at the Junior World Cup in Suhl and the 2023 Asian Championship, but now she’s really found her groove.

“I did well at the junior championships in Germany, but the senior competition was a whole different ball game. I put in a lot of training after that.”

From a young age, she was drawn to sports. Her dad, Inder Singh, was a big wrestling fan and got her into it when she was just 11. “Wrestling is a big deal in our village. I tried it for a few months but ended up breaking my collarbone. Two years later, I picked up shooting. I wanted to be involved in sports, and shooting appealed to me because it’s an individual sport. My parents have put in a lot of effort to support my journey, and I really want to make them proud.”

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