'I am disappointed but I need to move on,' says Arjun Babuta after fourth place finish at Paris Olympics 2024

Published at :July 30, 2024 at 2:02 PM

Modified at :July 30, 2024 at 7:25 PM

(Courtesy : SAI Media)

The ace shooter also emphasized that Indians not only want to compete now, but also win medals.

Indian shooter Arjun Babuta finished fourth in the final of the men’s 10m air rifle event. It was a huge heartbreak for the Indian, who was looking good for a podium finish for a large part of the final.

On the first day after the opening ceremony, Arjun suffered heartbreak as he finished to qualify in the team events. The pair was just one point behind the fourth-placed German team, who qualified for the bronze medal match.

He got his chance at redemption in the men’s 10m air rifle event. He displayed a lot of consistency in qualification, in the six series, finishing seventh among 49 shooters.

He started off well with a 10.7. Much to the delight of the large number of Indian supporters present, this set the tone, as he again displayed tremendous consistency.

In his second series, he didn’t score a single shot below 10.4. A 10.6 and a 10.8 in the 11th and 12th shots separated him from the remaining six shooters, as he trailed first-placed Lihao Sheng by 0.1 points.

However, he shot a 9.9 on his next shot which not only increased the deficit between him and the Chinese, but also brought the rest of the pack close to him. From thereon, it was a tough fight between him, Croatian Miran Maricic and Swede Victor Lindgren as the rankings kept fluctuating.

Infact, the Indian and the Croatian were tied on the same number of points in multiple instances. The fourth-place elimination round was a true test of nerves. Before the all-important 20th shot, the Indian was 0.2 behind the Croat and 0.4 behind the Swedish shooter. The Indian, at his debut Olympics, couldn’t handle the pressure as he shot 9.5- his second shot below 10 in the match.

All the Indian fans watching the proceedings were devastated, none as much as Babuta himself. It was a clear case of ‘So near, yet so far’! He was shattered and in tears.

Despite the heartbreak, the shooter was magnanimous enough to address the media later in the day, in a virtual press conference arranged by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Sports Authority of India (SAI). His humility was on show, as he answered all the questions patiently.

Mental space before final

He spoke about the mental space he was in during the final. “Definitely, it was a huge mental fight. Whoever came here, is good. They are the best in the world, technically good. My preparation for the final was done accordingly. It’s not about today alone, I started it months ago. When the matches came closer, preparations gradually increased,” Babuta reflected.

He further added, “I fought and did well. I stayed in the present and followed the process. The margin was less. Infact, I was not aware about the margin a number of times because I was focused on the process. I wanted to stick to my technique, which would help take me to the podium.”

Conversations with Abhinav Bindra

Incidentally, former ace marksman Abhnav Bindra who suffered the same fate in the same event at Rio 2016 was one of the first to console him. He also put out a letter, stating how proud he was of Arjun.

“I spoke to him yesterday and today. He had come to the Games Village yesterday to meet everybody. He shared his views and we got to learn a lot. He asked us to stay in the present and I did the same today. We always try, it’s nothing new. However, when a senior gives us such learnings, the impact of that is different.

“I was taking in everything he was saying. After the final, I felt good when he told me that he too came fourth, so he knows the feeling. I might have cried today, but I need to move on. This will help me in future competitions too. It felt good to know that he has a lot of expectations from me,” Arjun Babuta revealed of his interactions with Bindra.

Journey to Paris

The shooter from Chandigarh spoke about his long and arduous journey. He noted, “The journey was not so easy. It took me 12 years to reach here. It was a roller-coaster of a ride, with many ups and downs.

“I couldn’t take part in the Tokyo Olympics due to my back injury. I am grateful that I got a chance to represent India at the Paris Olympics. I would have been grateful if I would have been able to bag a medal as well, but I have hopes for the future.”

Aiming for medals

Arjun Babuta emphasized on the ambitions of the Indian athletes, saying, “Qualification to the Olympics is big, but today Indian athletes have reached that stage where they can think not only about qualification but also winning medals. We had expectations aligning to that.

”All athletes are capable and all can bring medals. All those who are done with their matches but not been able to medal must be feeling bad. We don’t want to qualify alone; we want to win medals. Hence, we were sad when we were not able to do that.”

Special bond in shooting contingent

After the final, He spoke about the special bond shared by the members of the shooting contingent. “We have been working together for a long time and are always there for each other,” he began.

Babuta added, “Whenever I met anyone from the Indian shooting contingent today, be it a shooter, a coach or someone from the staff, I just cried. I couldn’t stop my tears. I think it was important. I needed to let it flow, so that I can move ahead and look forward.”

Role of parents & Manu Bhaker’s bronze

The two-time World Cup gold medalist also spoke about the massive role played by his parents. “They are proud of me. I am thankful that they were the biggest supporters in my journey. They enrolled me for shooting and I eventually managed to represent India in the finals at my first Olympics.”

Arjun also congratulated Manu Bhaker, who ended India’s 12-year wait for an Olympic medal in shooting, winning the bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event. “I congratulated her, she shot very well. It is good for our sport. With a medal coming in, kids will be keen to take up the sport. Viewership will increase, which is important for the sport.”

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