New Delhi: Indian shooter Sarabjot Singh received a personal call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his bronze medal victory at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, July 30. The Prime Minister took a moment to reach out to both Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, who secured India’s second medal at the Paris Games by clinching bronze in the 10m Air Pistol mixed team event at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.
This marked India’s second shooting medal at the Paris Games, following Manu Bhaker’s earlier bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event. The Indian pair dominated from the start, leading 4-2 after the third series and extending their advantage to 8-2 by the fifth. Despite a late push from South Korea, who closed the gap to 10-6 after the eighth series, the Indian duo held their nerve to clinch a decisive victory.
PM Modi promptly called Sarabjot Singh to congratulate him on his performance and to extend his best wishes to the mixed team. Unfortunately, he only managed to reach Sarabjot, as Manu Bhaker was unavailable due to a mandatory doping test following the event.
“Many, many, many, congratulations to you. You have made your country proud. Your hard work has paid off. Congratulate Manu from my side. You were close in the individual competition, but in team event you achieved glory. Really well done. Your teamwork with Manu, what is the secret behind that?” PM Modi asked over the phone to Sarabjot Singh.
“Since 2019 we have been playing together in nationals, junior World Cups and other World Cups, we are hoping that we win Gold next time,” Sarabjot replied to PM Modi.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Olympic medalist Sarabjot Singh and congratulated him for winning bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed team event at #ParisOlympic2024 pic.twitter.com/0hnJbD0tyb
— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2024
Sarabjot Singh redeemed himself in the 10m pistol mixed event by clinching a bronze medal, overcoming a previous heartbreak. Just days earlier, he narrowly missed the final in the men’s 10m pistol event on July 27, making his triumph all the more poignant. Partnering with Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot helped India secure its second medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, turning a narrow disappointment into a historic achievement.
In a heartfelt gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally called Sarabjot to congratulate him on his medal. Although Manu Bhaker was unavailable due to a post-event dope test, the PM’s words of encouragement were clear: “I have complete faith in you guys. Manu has to prepare for her 25m event; once again, many congratulations to you.”
Looking ahead, Sarabjot has set his sights on gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Despite his bronze medal, he expressed dissatisfaction with his performance, underscoring his commitment to surpassing his achievements and aiming for greater success in the future.
