"I don’t really change my preparations according to competitions": Esha Singh on her preparations for Asian Games 2022

She has been chosen to represent India at the prestigious ISSF World Championship.

Shooting is one of the most popular sports in India. The nation has produced some of the greatest shooters in the world including Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Vijay Kumar who have brought laurels to the nation at both the Olympics and International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship. India has become a breeding ground for young shooters and is also regarded as one of the powerhouses in the sport.

One such shooter who is making waves in the international circuit presently is none other than Esha Singh. Owing to her impressive performances in the national shooting trials, Esha has been chosen to represent India at the prestigious ISSF World Championship which will get underway on August 14 and run until September 1, 2023, and the mega continental multi-sport event, Asian Games 2022 from September 23 to October 8, 2023. 

Khel Now got an opportunity to communicate with the 18-year-old Esha Singh about her shooting career and preparations ahead of the 53rd World Championships and postponed Asian Games 2022. She is a member of both squads and is set to compete for India in women’s 10m air pistol and 25m sports pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team events.

Trying her hands at various sports

Born in Hyderabad, Esha initially played Badminton and Tennis while she was a kid. At the age of 9, she tried her hands at shooting. “One day I got to know about shooting and it seemed like a very unique sport so I chose it,” said Esha. Since then, she has never looked back and excelled at the sport.

Esha’s dad, Sachin Singh is also a sportsperson who was a national rally driver. On being asked whether her interest in sports is because of his father, she replied, “Since he was into sports, I think it is sort of in my blood and I really liked how sports kind of shapes your life and gives you a lot of discipline in your life. So, I have always been very enthusiastic about sports.”

Became the National Champion at 13

Esha rose to prominence when she produced a huge upset at the 62nd National Shooting Championships in 2018 where she defeated a star-studded side comprising the likes of Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu to claim the gold medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event.

Esha shared her thoughts during the time when she accomplished the remarkable feat. “That time I didn’t really know how big of an achievement it was because I was more excited about my first senior final ever. I was very excited about that to perform. So, I didn’t really think of it as that big back then. Even though after that I didn’t really let it get to my head, I was more happy about the way I performed.”

How does Esha handle the expectations and comparisons?

Esha believes that expectations don’t play a major role in her sport. “I don’t really see it as something which I should pay attention to because it’s my sport and it is something I chose. This is more of an individual game and I don’t see it to be a part of my journey. I just focus on myself,” she said.

Esha doesn’t shy away from acknowledging that there is massive competition out here. However, she feels, “When I am at the lane, I would rather focus on myself because if I sit and compare it is not gonna help me in any way.”

Preparations ahead of the ISSF World Championship and Asian Games 2022

According to Esha, just like other athletes, her ultimate goal is the stage of the Olympics. However, she believes that there are certain steps to reach there. “Right now, I am working on certain things in my technique. Once I am satisfied with that, then I think I can look forward.”

She further added, “I don’t really change my preparations according to the competitions. I keep it the same and what I have learned from the previous match and if there is something to work on, I do that.”

Has the change in rules by ISSF impacted her preparations?

On April 12, 2023, the ISSF reverted to its old format which was followed during the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and before. This format will now be practiced at the time of the Paris Olympics 2024, which allows the shooter with the highest points in the final to claim the gold medal. 

On being asked how she feels if the format will affect the shooters, she replied, “To be honest, it doesn’t have anything to do with the shooters’ technique. It is just the numbers and calculations that they have changed. So, that doesn’t make any difference in the techniques.”

Importance of mental toughness training

On being questioned regarding mental training and preparations going ahead of any big tournament, Esha responded in affirmation. “As my sport is very mind based, it is a very mental sport so I do a lot of mind training. Meditation is very good, I would advise that”, she replied.

As Esha embarks on her journey and leads the Indian squad at the World Championships and Asian Games, she believes that every match has taught her something important and she is grateful for everything (including the mishaps that happened in a match).

“At that time I must not be happy about it. But, now when I look back, it’s better that they happened that time because I got to learn and I had to add it up and work on it so that it doesn’t happen during the important matches so that’s just the way I look at it.”

As the days for the championships are approaching, Esha is ready to showcase her skills at the upcoming international events. However, besides Shooting, Esha regards herself as a bookworm, a person who loves to read books and spends a lot of time reading them. She prefers books over watching shows and her favorite book is The Book Thief.