Indian shooters Arjun Babuta and Tilottama Sen made their mark at the ongoing Asian Championships in Changwon, Korea, earning coveted Paris Olympic quota places in the 10m air rifle events. Their exceptional performances sent ripples of excitement throughout the Indian sporting community.
Also Read: Sarabjot Singh Secures Bronze and Paris Olympics Quota Place in 10m Air Pistol
Arjun Babuta, a 24-year-old shooting prodigy, not only secured an Olympic quota place but also played an integral role in helping India clinch the gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle team event. Babuta joined forces with Divyansh Singh Panwar and Hriday Hazarika to achieve an impressive aggregate score of 1892.4, showcasing the depth and talent of Indian shooters.
💥SILVER 🥈 MEDAL ✅
💥OLYMPIC QUOTA ✅Arjun Babuta clinches the SILVER 🥈 medal at the Shooting Asian Championships with a score of 251.2 points in the Men's 10m AR event, securing a spot for the Paris Olympics.
CONGRATULATIONS 👏👏#AsianChampionships #Shooting #ArjunBabuta… pic.twitter.com/LgMrDDCjz6
— nnis (@nnis_sports) October 27, 2023
Babuta’s remarkable achievement saw him become the ninth Indian shooter overall to earn an Olympic quota place. In an even more remarkable feat, he also became the sixth rifle shooter, across both men’s and women’s categories, to seal a berth for the Paris Olympics. His journey to Olympic qualification reached a pinnacle, marking a significant milestone in his young career.
But the excellence didn’t stop there. In the women’s 10m air rifle event, 15-year-old Tilottama Sen demonstrated remarkable composure under pressure. She secured the 10th Olympic quota place for India, narrowly missing the gold as she finished just behind Eunji Kwon of Korea, who shot 252.4. In her pursuit of excellence, Tilottama’s compatriot, Ramita, also added to India’s medal tally by securing the bronze with an impressive effort of 230.6.
The Indian shooting contingent has been in formidable form during the Asian Championships, with their remarkable performances resulting in a total of seven quota places in rifle shooting, two in shotgun, and one in pistol. This achievement underscores India’s growing presence on the global shooting stage.
15 yrs old Tilottama Sen gets Olympic Quota for India in 10m Air Rifle event as she wins Silver medal in Asian Championships.
Ramita won Bronze medal in the same event. pic.twitter.com/OgOWIC1H55
— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) October 27, 2023
Arjun Babuta, who hails from Chandigarh but trains at the National Centre of Excellence for shooting sport at the Karni Singh Ranges, added another feather to his cap by locking the second and final Olympic quota place for India in 10m air rifle. Rudrankksh Patil was the first to achieve this feat during the 2022 World Championships in Cairo. It’s important to note that a country can secure a maximum of two quota places in a particular shooting event, which was brilliantly accomplished by the Indian shooters.
Babuta’s steely determination was on full display in the eight-shooter final, where he shot 251.2 to secure a silver medal. He finished just behind silver medallist at the 2022 Tokyo Olympics, China’s Sheng Lihao, who shot 252.1. His teammate, Divyansh, also displayed incredible skill, making it to the final and securing a fourth-place finish with a score of 209.6.
In the qualification round, Babuta’s exceptional performance saw him top the field with a score of 633.4. Panwar was equally impressive, securing the third spot with a score of 632.3. The combined efforts of the Indian shooters in the qualification round propelled them to victory in the team event, outclassing China and Japan.
This outstanding performance by Indian shooters has ignited hopes for a spectacular display at the Paris Olympics, further solidifying the nation’s reputation as a dominant force in international shooting sports. As the championships continue, fans eagerly await more remarkable feats from the Indian contingent.
