Tejaswini enters record books with 597/600

Twenty-nine-year-old Tejaswini Sawant has become the darling of her hometown Kolhapur after becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win a gold at the World Championship in Munich on Sunday. She scored 597 (100, 100, 100, 99, 99, 99) out of 600 points in the 50-metre rifle prone to equal the record set by Russia’s Marina Bobkova in 1998.

In a sport that has been traditionally dominated by males (one usually associates only Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Jaspal Rana and Ronjan Singh Sodhi with the game), Tejaswini has proved to be an exception.

“The way we were training, I thought I would be getting my personal best. I was not thinking about a medal or a world record. Having got both, I can’t even explain how I am feeling right now. It’s just amazing,” said an ecstatic Tejaswini. The shooter, who won gold in the air rifle event in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, was tied with Poland’s Ewa Joanna Nowakowska in the final score, but was declared winner with a perfect score of 41.

Abhinav Bindra, who won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said Tejaswini’s win augurs well for her future. “This is a great achievement. She can now hopefully use the confidence to reach the top and qualify for Olympic events — air rifle and 3P shooting,” Bindra told DNA. He said women shooters in the country have struggled in Olympic events in the past two years and Tejaswini’s win should motivate them.

The shooter’s rise to the top, however, was not easy. She lost her father, a former navy officer and 1971 war veteran, in March during the Commonwealth shooting championships and her family had a tough time grooming her as a shooter. “The more problems you face in the pursuit of your dreams, the more delightful your success becomes. As far as problems of ammunition shortage are concerned, I never faced them. My practise was never held up because of such issues,” Tejaswini said.

“This is a strong statement from her. She has proved that she is cut for the top,” said Viren Rasquinha, COO, Olympic Gold Quest. Tejaswini has been under the Gold Quest umbrella for over a year.

National coach Sunny Thomas is thrilled for his ward. “She is only the fifth world record holder in India after Gagan Narang, Suma Shirur, Ronjan Singh Sodhi and Asher Noria. What she did today is truly remarkable,” Thomas said. “She is the first woman to do it for India and it is a proud moment for the country.” Tejaswini’s win sets her up perfectly for the Commonwealth Games, scheduled in October.