Olympics 2024: 'I couldn't control my tears,' says Arjun Babuta

Arjun Babuta is the newest entrant to the most disheartening list of fourth-position finishes at the Olympics for India.

Arjun finished fourth in the 10m air rifle finals at the Paris Olympics 2024.

He had maintained a good number of shots until the first elimination in the finals.

Arjun was placed in the second position, but a 9.9 in the 13th shot and a 9.5 in the 20th shot were the only two nine-pointers in the match.

On an occasion like the Olympics, it was enough to push Arjun down from a silver medal position to fourth.

During a short media interaction facilitated by the Sports Authority of India, Arjun acknowledged that the fourth-place finish was devastating and said, “If it was supposed to happen, it will happen. I gave my 100 percent today. It was not my day but I gave my 100 percent.”

Recalling the moment of the match, “When I met anyone from the contingent, the support staff, coaches, or the shooters, I just cried and I couldn’t stop my tears. I think it was important to let it flow and look forward,” he said.

Concentrating on the mental side of things, Arjun said, “Definitely, there’s a mental fight among the athletes as technically everyone’s so good. The mental fight is more at the Olympics.”

Arjun had to wait twelve years to get a spot in the Olympics; he couldn’t make the cut for Tokyo because of a back injury.

He said, “I got the chance to represent our country in the Paris Olympics. I feel very grateful for sure; I would’ve been happier if I could’ve bagged a medal.”

“The fight was good in the final, the margin was close, and many times I was not even aware of the margin. I was just focusing on the process,” he added.

Arjun also congratulated Manu on her success and feels it’s important for the sport to grow, believing many kids will take up the sport inspired by Manu’s success.

He added that it’ll garner viewership into the sport as well.

When asked how his parents are feeling and if he received any messages from them, Arjun said, “They’re very proud of me. Their role is massive, both my parents. I’m thankful to them; because of them, I took up the sport of shooting and reached this level.”

Arjun and Abhinav's Fourth Place Connection

Abhinav Bindra has been an inspiration to millions of Indians, including Arjun.

“I talked to him yesterday and even today. He came to the Games village yesterday and shared a lot of his views. When it's a senior like him share his views, the words hit straight to the ears," he revealed.

"After the final, whatever he told me definitely made me feel better. He told me that he also came fourth, so he knows the feeling. I can cry about it today, but I also need to move on, which will be better for my future," Arjun added.

Hailing from the small town of Jalalabad in the Fazilka district of Punjab, which was earlier famous for its Punjabi juttis and the Indian cricketer Shubman Gill, Fazilka would now also be known by the name of Arjun Babuta.