Shooter Sartaj Singh Tiwana wins gold at Khelo India University Games 2021, eyes 2024 Paris Olympics berth

Shooter Sartaj Singh Tiwana stunned overwhelming favorite, Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, in the final of the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event to win a gold medal at the ongoing Khelo India University Games 2021 (KIUG) over the weekend.

Speaking after his KIUG 2021 gold medal win, Sartaj Singh said:

"I am delighted with my win, but I don't want to bear the tag that I defeated an Olympian, because tags are temporary. Shooting is a sport in which one day someone wins, and on the other day, the other person loses. It's all about now or never. The balance keeps on shifting."

Sartaj had earlier defeated Aishwary when the two shooters competed in the final of the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the Khelo India Youth Games 2018 in Pune.

Speaking about the same, Sartaj said:

"Aishwary is a very good friend. We used to shoot together and we played our first international together. He is a great companion, and he has achieved great things in his career. There has always been a friendly rivalry between us and it was great fun to compete against him and pick up the win.

"In shooting it’s not about beating a rival," he added. "He was shooting very well but it was just that it was not his day. In Pune, it was almost the same. I came back in the last two shots and won with a margin of 0.1 point.”

"These wins will add to the confidence as the main target is the Olympics" - Shooter Sartaj Singh

Sartaj Singh, who is ranked 23rd on the national rankings list, has his eyes set on the 2024 Paris Olympics as he looks forward to representing India on the biggest stage.

Speaking about the Olympics, Sartaj said:

"This medal is a step forward in my Olympic career. These wins will add to the confidence as the main target is the Olympics. Every sportsperson has a single dream of waving India's flag at the Olympics. So I will continue to chase the same dream and work hard towards it."