Indian shooter holding the world record in Skeet with a perfect score of 60/60 will be shooting for Olympic glory in Tokyo. Here’s all you need to know about him.
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| ANGAD VIR SINGH BAJWA |
Though shooting has been a strong event for India in Olympics, skeet has always been weak portion of India. 2016 Rio was just the first time when India had their representation in Skeet, Mairaj Ahmad Khan. And this time, hopes will be much higher, as along with 45 year old seasoned campaigner Mairaj’s second Olympic appearance India will also have 25 year old World Record Holder Angad Vir Singh Bawja set his right eye on the flying pink discs in Tokyo.
India to Canada and back to India:
Chandigarh born Angad’s father, Gurpal Singh Bajwa has a hospitality business in Canada. Angad went there for studies and got into shooting in 2012. He used to compete in National and International circuit representing Canada. He became the youngest open champion at the age of just 18. It was 2015 when he came back to India and his journey for tri-colour set off.
Angad started his shooting days with pistols, later he picked up rifle but still he wasn’t getting the desired kick. It felt dull and repetitive to him. Then at last when he was introduced to outdoor shooting and moving targets he felt home, at last.
Nationals to Internationals:
In the very first year in India he bagged two Gold medals in 2015 Asian Shooting Championships Junior skeet, individual and team event in Kuwait City. In 2016 and 2017 he won two consecutive silver medals in national Shooting Championships and at last turned the colour to gold in 2018 nationals.
The year which turned to be a memorable one for him as he went on to win Asian Shotgun Championships Gold in that very same city of 2015 with a World record score of 60/60. He suppressed two times Olympic Gold Medalist and reigning world champion Vincent Hancock who had scored 59/60 three times in his life and scoring the perfect score has been his unfinished dream always as he told to Angad and his father when they visited Hancock earlier.
Angad is only the second skeet shooter after Man Singh to win a Gold medal at any continental or world event for India. He kept on winning Gold in Asian Shooting Championships 2019, Doha and thus earned the Olympic quota for Tokyo. Along with the individual gold, he owned silver in mixed team event too. Summer Universiade in Naples that year gave him a bronze medal.
In 2020, the world witnessed covid pandemic and almost all the tournaments were called off. This year, as ISSF Shooting World Cup comes back, comes back Angad Vir Singh Bajwa, winning Bronze in team event in Cairo. The BBA student came on top in both men’s team and mixed team event in New Delhi World Cup.
Always Glued to Gun:
“I have told him many times to relax a bit and socialize but he is obsessed and can’t help but talk about skeet or what he needs to do to get better in the sport… All he thinks of is shooting. When he is not training he reads books on shooting or watches shooting videos on his phone. Sometimes I have to tell to him not to strain his eyes.” says his father.
Well, one can easily understand his father’s condition as once Angad woke up his dad at 1 am and brought him to his room just because he wanted to explain to someone that how he had made a huge error on the station 4 of a skeet range.
He has trained under some of the best coaches in the world. From legend Vincent Hancock to Norwegian great Tore Brovold to former Indian team coach Ennio Falcao and many more, Angad has always found influential players and coaches to train under, to train with. Be it Italy, Cyprus, Norway or be it Chandigarh or be it Canada, USA where he is training he motto is crystal-clear; as he says, “You pick up small points from various people. You never stop learning. In fact I am learning every day, as I explore to see what suits me.”
Is an Olympic gold from him a tough ask?
Yes, his current world ranking is 62! Yes, he is not much experienced! Yes, he has not won any World Cup Gold in individual event till now! But you can’t forget the fact that Angad holds the World record in the event and that too a perfect score of 60 out of maximum possible point of 60. Who can suppress that! No one can. That is why; if Bajwa stays at the top of his game we can dream even bigger than just a podium finish from him. He has showed what he can do already. It’s just the huge pressure of Olympic Games which he has to handle and pull off his best to give the nation another golden glory. What is going to happen; only time will tell that! What we can tell now is, KheLoVerse wishes Angad Vir Singh Bajwa all the very best for the Tokyo Olympic.
An Article By: Arpan Purkait
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