MAIRAJ AHMAD KHAN: Two Decades and Counting in Skeet

MAIRAJ AHMAD KHAN

He has been shooting the pink disks for more than 20 years for India now. Here’s what an overview of his journey and his Olympic-prospects.

 

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. The man who pulled off that historic feat for India, Mairaj Ahmad Khan will be competing in another Olympic, his second one, in Tokyo 2021. This time he will not be the lone warrior in skeet platforms for India. With him, there will be 25 year old World Record Holder Angad Veer Singh Bajwa.

 

Coming to the sport

Mairaj Ahmad Khan was born in a Sunni family of landlords of the affluent Kheshgi family of Khurja in Utter Pradesh. He was introduced to the shooting sport by his uncle. As he competed in one of his college shooting tournament, his journey set off and slowly the passion became profession. It was 1998 when he started practicing shooting and then started competing in 2003. His brother Najam Ahmad Khan is also a shooter. As per ISSF official website, hunting and rifle are among his hobbies.

 

Almost two decades in the circuit

Lonato, Italy World Cup 2003 is where he marked his appearance. Since then 18 years have passed, but 45 year old Mairaj is still competing and competing with his best. He has been 4 time national champion in between those years: 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2016 (silver in 2014) and has another gold medal along with two silver medals in National Game.

As he kept on competing and winning several medals in national and international events throughout the years, one of his memorable one came when he won individual silver in 2010 Commonwealth Shooting Championship in front of the home crowd at New Delhi. He also won Gold in the pair event there. In 2012 he clinched another silver medal in Asian Shotgun Shooting Championship, Malaysia.

 

Olympic dream:

The city of Lonato where Mairaj made his World Cup debut gifted him another moment of happiness in 2015 as he won the Olympic Quota for Rio 2016 there, thus creating the history of being first Indian Olympian in Shotgun Skeet event.

It was just before Rio Olympic, he won silver medal in ISSF World Cup at Rio. Thus, hopes were high from him going into the Olympic. But he fell just short in qualification losing a shoot-off.

Silver in 2019 Asian Championship, Doha gave Mairaj the cut for Tokyo Olympic. Going into the Olympics the veteran shooter is drawing inspiration from Roger Federer.

 

Lockdown and Tokyo-hopes:

Talking about training in lockdown he said, “I took it in a positive manner. Lockdown worked as a recovery break for me. I took a 2-month break for the first time in 20 years. I spent a lot of time with my family, focused more on my physical fitness and dry training.”

In competition like Olympic experience may also play a huge part and Mairaj has no shortage in that section. He has been working on his shoot-off skills and mental side of the game.

He himself has a huge expectation from the Indian shooting team. As he said, “2021 Tokyo Olympics will be our best Olympic Games after the London Olympics.” And we all will love to see Mairaj Ahmad Khan also contributing in that with a medal. Team KheLoVerse wishes him all the very best for upcoming important days in Tokyo and beyond. 

An Article By: Arpan Purkait