From broken track dream to Asian Games range, Kamaljeet’s second shot at glory
An injury on the athletics track ended one dream, but his refusal to walk away from sport led him straight to the shooting range. Rewari’s Kamaljeet turned to pistol shooting in 2019 and has since built a compelling second chapter, establishing himself as one of India’s leading precision marksmen.
The 22-year-old is set to represent India at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where he will aim for gold in his marquee individual event: the Men’s 10m Air Pistol.
PIVOTING FROM TRACK HEARTBREAK
Kamaljeet’s transition from track and field to pistol shooting was far from smooth, marked by financial hurdles and steep learning curves. Yet, his family ensured his second sporting life didn’t end before it started.
“We are a middle-class family, but my parents never let me quit shooting,” Kamaljeet recalled. “I had to manage my own expenses for course fees and matches early on, and there were times I thought I wouldn’t continue. It took me two to three years to earn that money back, but my family never asked questions; they gave me whatever I needed to keep going.”
Building a foundation from scratch in Haryana meant relying heavily on a tight-knit support network.
“I have only one shooting coach who taught me everything from scratch. He is from my village, so our relationship feels like family,” he explained. “Between my coach and my uncle at home, I’ve had the strongest foundation throughout this journey.”
EARNING HIS SPOT ON MERIT
As domestic results began to show his potential, the initial financial strain gave way to backing from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
“Earlier, I used to struggle a lot just to manage basic expenses, but having sponsorship and support from SAI took a huge weight off my shoulders,” Kamaljeet noted.
“My place in the national squad came strictly on merit, based on the ranking points I accumulated across the ranking events. When you know the system is entirely performance-driven and every point counts, it gives you complete confidence to just step onto the lane and shoot your best without any second thoughts.”
READY FOR THE BIG STAGE
Kamaljeet’s second shot at athletic stardom is already backed by high-level credentials. After securing gold in the 50m Pistol Men Junior event at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships and a recent silver at the Asian Championships in New Delhi, he views his recent World Cup exposure as crucial preparation for Aichi-Nagoya.
“The World Cup was a valuable learning experience. While my performance wasn’t exactly what I wanted, it motivated me to refine my preparation,” he said. “This will be my first Asian Games, and having gained international match exposure, I feel much more confident entering the range in Japan.”
Looking back on the injury that derailed his original path, Kamaljeet carries a philosophy that defines his second coming: “Earlier, I used to shoot good scores only in practice, but now I have the belief that I can deliver under match pressure. One lesson has stayed with me through every phase: if it doesn’t happen the way you wanted, it will happen in a better way than you imagined.”
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