Indian shooters are gearing up for the first of two training camps leading into the Olympic Selection Trials (OST), a month-long exercise that will determine India’s representation in rifle and pistol events at the Paris Olympics. The OST is a first-of-its-kind event, with shooters vying for Paris spots through a scoring system that will factor in their best three scores from the trials.
National rifle coach Suma Shirur has noticed a slight shift in the body language of shooters, who are accustomed to checking into national camps regularly. This time, they are “a little bit on the edge,” with questions about how to prepare for an event like this. Shirur has addressed these concerns through routine discussions, interactive sessions with Olympians, and reiterating the attitude to be taken into the trials.
The approach to these high-pressure trials is crucial, as the anxiety of making the Olympics team can be unnerving. Shirur emphasizes the importance of developing strategies for handling the pressure and staying in the moment. Former rifle shooter turned coach Deepali Deshpande believes the key to the right approach lies in planning, using all events in 2023 for confidence building and ensuring quotas are secured.
Deshpande acknowledges the risk of shooters laying too much emphasis on the trials, potentially affecting their performance at the Olympics. However, she believes that the shooters will be ready for the challenge of peaking twice in around three months. Shirur agrees, stating that shooting doesn’t require physical peaks, so the focus will be entirely on mental peaking.
After the trials, shooters will need to take a break for recovery and get back to the basics before redirecting their energies into the Olympics. Shirur emphasizes the importance of rest and recovery to ensure that every selected shooter is well rested and hungry to perform at the Olympics.
