Medico turned Shooter: Sift Kaur Samra conquers world record

It proved to be a day of abundant medals for Indian shooting at the 2023 Asian Games, with rifle shooter Sift Kaur Samra at the heart of it all, who broke the world record in the 50m rifle three positions to clinch the gold medal.

Sift Kaur Samra left everyone stunned with her dominant display in the final. Not only did she shatter the world record, but she also finished a whopping 7.3 points ahead of the silver medallist, the reigning world champion, Zhang Qiongyue of China.

"It feels surreal, to be very honest. The world record was not in my thoughts; I just wanted to do my best in the final," Sift told The Bridge over the phone from China.

In a sport judged by precision, Sift certainly knows one or two things about precision, having dropped out of medical school herself.

Sift, who competes in shooting's physically most grueling format, the 50m rifle three-position, benefited from her medical background as her sport demands as much balance as the course of an MBBS.

Left MBBS for Shooting

An accidental shooter, introduced to the world of shooting by her cousin, Sift was successfully juggling her pursuit of an MBBS degree and her passion for shooting until this year.

"I was introduced to shooting during my summer vacation when my cousin Karan Sekhon asked my parents if she could try shooting. That was my introduction to shooting," Sift told The Bridge.

It was the bronze medal at the ISSF World Cup, Bhopal that put Sift in a dilemma to choose between becoming a doctor and a shooter. Compelled by her sporting success and frustrated by her college's consistent demand of 80% attendance, she chose the rigors of shooting.

"I left MBBS after the Bhopal World Cup. It was getting very hectic for me due to attendance and my college was adamant on that. So, I decided to leave it given the importance of this year with the Asian Games," Sift quipped.

With a world record and Asian Games gold in her kitty, Sift has surely hit the 'bull's eye' with that decision.

Trust the process

Sift participates in the 50m air rifle three positions discipline, which demands shooters to fire from three stances - kneeling, standing, and prone, making it one of the most physically demanding formats in shooting.

In an event where time management is as crucial as achieving a perfect score, Sift places her trust in her well-honed process.

"Time management is very important in this event. I take 20 minutes for kneeling and then tell my mind that, one position is done and now I will move to another position. Then I repeat my process in the other two positions," she explained.

"If the shot is not good, I have my process. I keep breathing and closing my eyes helps me in tense situations. People have different processes but this is my process," she added further.

Sift executed her process to perfection in the Asian Games finals, seizing the lead during the kneeling position and never relinquishing it, while continually improving her score in subsequent positions.

Another facet of her process involves approaching every match as if it were a training session until reaching the final.

"One of my coaches told me that matches just renamed version of practice sessions. So, I follow that mantra," said Sift.

One small goal at a time

When asked what is her goal for next year, Sift immediately said that she believes in smaller goals.

"Since the start of my career, I have been making short plans. Me and my parents have been pretty clear that we don't want to focus on big goals but take small steps," told Sift.

Sift has been achieving her small goals consistently. She started with five medals at the Junior World Cup, picked up a bronze medal at the Senior World Cup, won a gold medal at the World University Games, picked a Paris Olympic quota in the World Championships, and won Asiad gold with a world record.

With multiple medals at the senior level, Sift will be expected to perform at the top level.

Talking about managing the expectations, Sift said, "My parents have been supportive. If someone has expectations from me, I take it positively. I don't see expectations as pressure but more as motivation."

With the World Cup, World University Games, and Asian Games medals in her bag, will Sift's next small goal be the 2024 Olympics podium?

That is something only time will tell, but at the moment, the MBBS dropout shooter is the world record holder and Asian Games gold medalist.