Palak Gulia Faces Olympic Selection Trials After Securing Quota
Palak Gulia, the 18-year-old shooting prodigy, has secured an Olympic quota for India in the 10m air pistol event. However, her journey is far from over as she faces the daunting task of defending her quota in the upcoming Olympic selection trials.
The trials, scheduled from April 18 to May 19, will be the first time India selects its Olympic shooting squad based on domestic competitions. The pressure is immense, as shooters know that their years of preparation could be wasted if they fail to perform.
Palak’s coach, Rakesh Singh, believes that her recent quota win will give her an edge in the trials. “She is in a good frame of mind and will go into the selection trials with a lot of confidence,” he said.
Palak’s rise to prominence has been meteoric. She emerged from relative obscurity to win the 10m air pistol gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Her unexpected victory marked her as a special talent.
However, the competition in the trials will be fierce. Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Rhythm Sangwan will all be vying for the two air pistol quotas alongside Palak. Esha had previously earned the other quota spot.
“Shooters know that if you do not do well, all your hard work of two or three years is going to go to waste,” said 25m pistol coach Ronak Pandit. “So, the pressure is going to be enormous.”
Despite the pressure, Palak’s personal coach, Singh, believes she is mature beyond her age. “She is mentally strong and very mature. Her attention level at the time when she is in the firing lane is amazing, and that’s what counts in shooting,” he said.
Palak’s journey to the Olympics has been marked by both triumph and adversity. After her Asian Games gold, she struggled a bit and finished 25th at the Asian Championships. However, she stepped up just at the right time to seal the Olympic quota in the qualifying event in Rio, where she won a bronze medal.
Now, Palak faces the challenge of defending her quota and proving that she is worthy of representing India at the Olympics. The trials will be a true test of her mental strength and shooting prowess.
