Kamaljeet and Suruchi Singh from Haryana triumphed in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Their victory on Friday marks their first gold medal at the Asian Games.
“It was definitely a tough time for me and my family. I had to stay away from shooting for several months and missed the National Games. Things became very difficult during that period.
HT spoke to Kamaljeet, who said that he started his journey in shooting sports in 2019. However, he met with an accident in 2022, was badly injured and suffered a thigh bone fracture.
The athlete said that the first few years were really good, with him winning several medals for the country. But deep down, I never wanted to quit shooting,” he told HT.
When asked about their next target, Jung said the duo would now focus on the upcoming World Championships, with the larger goal of securing their places at the Olympics.
“Without their support, I would not have come this far. My first coach, Shaktipal, also stood by me throughout. Instead, once they reached the final, they were confident of securing a medal and focused on performing freely. “There was definitely some added pressure, but both handled it differently.
Recalling that difficult phase, he said there came a point when he told his family that he would not give up shooting. Without all their support, I would not have been able to make a comeback,” he said. Kamaljeet said the key to their success was keeping the pressure at bay and simply enjoying the final. He said the duo did not enter the contest thinking they had to win at all costs. When asked about his future goals, Kamaljeet said representing India at the Olympics and winning a gold medal was the ultimate dream for any athlete, and that he, too, was working towards achieving it. Singh slept through the entire night before the match, while Kamaljeet slept for a few hours before waking up,” he said.
