Losing an Olympic medal by a mere fraction of a point can be one of the most heartbreaking experiences imaginable. Arjun Babuta, the Indian shooter who missed out on a bronze medal in the men’s 10m air rifle final at the Paris Games by a agonizing 0.9 points, described the moment as if he had lost someone close to him.
Babuta, who hails from Chandigarh and joined the ranks of other near-miss Indian athletes finishing fourth at the Olympics, struggled to find words to express the overwhelming emotion. “I did put in the effort (in the run-up to Paris), and I went numb the moment I looked at the screen, which showed I had finished fourth. It felt like I lost somebody very close to me in my life,” the 25-year-old rifle marksman told PTI. “I didn’t know how to react. I was crying immediately… I was laughing immediately. I was again crying while talking. So, I didn’t know what to do about it.” The ace shooter, a two-time World Cup gold medalist and a top podium finisher at the Asian Championships, couldn’t shake off the feeling of being so close yet so far.
He couldn’t help but repeat, “It was not so great feeling. I was deserving (a medal), I would say.”
Babuta’s journey to the Olympics has been marked by challenges, starting with health setbacks. From a young age, he has faced numerous hardships, primarily health-related. He was forced to take a three-year break from shooting (2018-2020) to address a persistent back problem. This is a common ailment among rifle shooters, as the awkward stance they maintain puts significant strain on the spine.
“That was a very difficult phase, for sure. I felt very alone during that time because everybody is (only) there when you are performing well, but only a few people are there who support you during your low phase. I was going through the pain of my back injury, and my personal life was not great either,” the marksman shared. “It was like I had hit rock bottom.”
During this time, Babuta found solace in his mother’s unwavering support. “My mother used to travel with me to Patiala from Chandigarh daily for my physiotherapy for seven months. We used to go in the evening around 6 pm because the doctor was there from 8 pm onwards. And we used to come back home around 1 am… it was a tough phase.”
The thought of returning to the firing range fueled Babuta’s determination. His mind constantly reminded him that his redemption lay in getting back to the sport he loved. He finally returned in 2020, overcoming the dark phase of his life.
“I used to just keep thinking about how to get back to the lane… how I kept my emotions in check while driving the car daily to Patiala from Chandigarh, only I know; how I have overcome that dark phase,” he said.
Babuta’s dedication paid off, culminating in his dream of competing in Paris. He acknowledges that with more strategic planning, he might have even secured the gold medal. “I did try my best. So many months went into planning. I would say that this is part of destiny as well (to finish fourth).”
Babuta has pinpointed the reason behind his fourth-place finish and is determined to learn from it. “I should have given some more emphasis on equipment check and equipment furnishing. I would say that I did try to get my pellets tested (in Germany and Pune) and all that, but I didn’t get the chance to practice a lot with those pellets.
“So that is the thing I can work on for my upcoming competitions… to get my pellets tested well in advance and practice with them a lot so that I have clarity about them. I think I would have easily won gold that day (in Paris). I was so focused. I was in such a great frame of mind during the competition.
“I would say that day, and technically also, I was just doing great, but it was not destined to be that day. But, yeah, I can work on the equipment check and ammunition and all that for the next few competitions. Testing the ammunition and equipment is cumbersome, but one has to get used to it.”
Babuta’s focus now shifts to the upcoming World Cup Final, where he will be one of the few Indian participants competing in the elite year-end tournament. The event is scheduled for October 13 at the Karni Singh Ranges in Delhi.
“There are a few things that I wanted to experiment with for a long time. And I got the opportunity to compete in the World Cup Final and looking forward to experimenting those, basically approach this competition in a way that I can deliver my best,” he added.
