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Ace Indian shooter and Asian Games gold medalist Saurabh Chaudhary made a comeback to the sport at his first major international event in over one and a half years.
Chaudhary, 21, was in action at the ISSF World Cup 2023 Rio, in the men's 10m air pistol event. The Indian shooter finished 30th in the qualification rounds with a score of 572 points.
Meanwhile, his compatriot Sagar Dangi made it to the finals, finishing second in the qualification rounds with a score of 581 points.
Saurabh Chaudhary's journey to the top
Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Saurabh Chaudhary quickly ascended the ranks of the Indian shooting scene and made a name for himself as one of India's best shooters.
He took up the sport at the age of 13 under the guidance of Amit Sheoran. The Indian won his first international medal at the age of 16. Ever since then, the rise to the top was rapid for Chaudhary.
The shooter won several gold medals at the ISSF World Cups and won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 2018 Changwon ISSF World Shooting Championships. He won his Asian Games gold the same year.
As of now, Saurabh Chaudhary is the only Indian to have won a gold at the ISSF World Championship, ISSF World Cup, Youth Olympic Games, Asian Games, and Asian Air Gun Championship.
Chaudhary was touted to be one of India's best hopes for a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, the shooter returned after finishing seventh in the event.
Post his Tokyo setback, the 21-year-old seemingly took a step back from the sport and did not attend any tournaments. He eventually made a comeback to the national level in June, winning gold in the 10m air pistol event.
While he isn't in the squad for the upcoming Asian Games, qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics doesn't look impossible just yet.
