AHMEDABAD: On a day when tough weather conditions had kept all trap shooters on their toes, one participant in his mid-40s looked unperturbed. Wearing shorts and sporting a grey, trim beard, he looked calm and composed. While Zoravar Singh Sandhu\u2019s demeanour was fascinating, one assumed it would have put extra pressure on his opponents, who were struggling to find ways to negotiate the tough conditions.
Shooters get 12 seconds to fire a shot. While others pull the trigger after aiming for around 8 seconds, it takes only a couple seconds for the veteran shooter to execute his shot. It is a routine for Zoravar, 45, who has been shooting for over three decades now.
The Punjab shooter won silver in the men\u2019s trap final against Jaipur youngster Vivaan Kapoor at the National Games Gujarat on Friday.
Trust Zoravar to come up with a legit reason for his shooting style.
\u201cI used to be a skeet shooter, so I am used to shooting quickly. I don\u2019t think other shooters come under pressure. Vivaan didn\u2019t,\u201d he smiled.
He doesn\u2019t consider bad weather as a deterrent.
\u201cThere are no excuses. You cannot complain about these things as the conditions are the same for everyone,\u201d Zorro, as he is called by fellow shooters, said.
Zoravar is one of the few shooters who have made a switch from skeet to trap.
\u201cI was introduced to shooting when I was five. I started shooting skeet when I was 11. I later switched to trap after my father and grandfather asked me to change the event for better prospects,\u201d he said.
Although he has been shooting in domestic and international tournaments, his last big medal came in 2014 when he won gold at the Nationals in Patiala. The silver on Friday was special, but he humbly called it \u201ca work in progress\u201d. The Air India employee doesn\u2019t mind the long gap between his two medals, but admitted that medals are important milestones for athletes to check their progress.
\u201cIt is important to keep winning, as that is how you can check your progress. Otherwise. you don\u2019t have a reference point. Having said that, I have become process oriented, so I don\u2019t get worried when I don\u2019t win a medal. Following my process is more important,\u201d he said, holding a mug gifted by the National Anti-Doping Agency after taking his sample.
\u201cI still have fire in my belly. I am enjoying it.\u201d Zoravar can be easily spotted in the field dominated by teenagers and shooters in their early 20s. However, the veteran says he is in the right event at the right age. <\/div>\n