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CHANDIGARH: She did not touch a shotgun until she was 16. Now 21, Asees Chhina has a dream of making a podium finish at the Olympics one day.
There is no doubt that she is immensely talented as she won an individual silver medal in the 59th National Shooting Championship in Jaipur in December and followed it with a gold next year – within a year she started taking the sport seriously.
“I took up shooting only at the persistence of my father (Karanbir Singh Chhina). Even though I was not interested in shotgun shooting, it was my father who compelled me to take up shooting. Slowly I started to enjoy it. I started going to range with my father and uncle and with the time I realised this is what I want to do,” Asees told TOI.
The Patiala girl has already represented India at international level and had won laurels. Last year, she won a team silver at the 9th Asian Shotgun Championships, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Asees credits Mairaj Ahmad Khan for her improvement.
“Last year I trained with him and I learnt a lot. Shooting alongside the like of Mairaj has helped me. I think I have learnt to deal with pressure also,” she said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has some other plans and it had hit sportspersons the most. For the past four months, Asees has not fired a single bullet. The only thing she is being doing is ‘dry shooting.’
“Training has been affected due to Covid-19. Even now when the shooting ranges have started to open, there is a fear. During the lockdown I have done more dry shooting, which helps you with the concentration. Other than that I am lucky to have a treadmill in my house and I have focused a lot on my fitness,” said Asees with a hope that normal sports environment will resume soon.
Unlike air rifle and pistol, where India has dominated the international scene this year, shotgun shooting has long struggled to find its aim. With the emergence of an exciting young talent like Asees, there are signs of change.
“Shooting as a sport in India is excelling but skeet shooting is not that popular. Things are changing now, however. With Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Mairaj Ahmad Khan cementing their Olympic quotas, this discipline is steadily getting better,” said Asees, who idolises American skeet shooters Vincent Hancock and Kimberley Rhode.
Apart from lacking popularity, skeet shooting is an expensive affair as well. While Asees comes from a family able to help her.
“The daily expenses during training runs into thousands but my father never brought up the topic since all he wanted was to see me succeed. I know it is a very expensive sport but I am lucky that my father has supported me in my career,” said Asees.
Asees aims to win more medals at the international level so that she will be ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I need to win medals at the international level at a consistent level. Next couple of years is going to be very important for me with Commonwealth Games and Asiad coming up,” She said.
“Every athlete dreams to become an Olympian and hopefully in 2024, I will be able to live it,” she signed off.
There is no doubt that she is immensely talented as she won an individual silver medal in the 59th National Shooting Championship in Jaipur in December and followed it with a gold next year – within a year she started taking the sport seriously.
“I took up shooting only at the persistence of my father (Karanbir Singh Chhina). Even though I was not interested in shotgun shooting, it was my father who compelled me to take up shooting. Slowly I started to enjoy it. I started going to range with my father and uncle and with the time I realised this is what I want to do,” Asees told TOI.
The Patiala girl has already represented India at international level and had won laurels. Last year, she won a team silver at the 9th Asian Shotgun Championships, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Asees credits Mairaj Ahmad Khan for her improvement.
“Last year I trained with him and I learnt a lot. Shooting alongside the like of Mairaj has helped me. I think I have learnt to deal with pressure also,” she said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has some other plans and it had hit sportspersons the most. For the past four months, Asees has not fired a single bullet. The only thing she is being doing is ‘dry shooting.’
“Training has been affected due to Covid-19. Even now when the shooting ranges have started to open, there is a fear. During the lockdown I have done more dry shooting, which helps you with the concentration. Other than that I am lucky to have a treadmill in my house and I have focused a lot on my fitness,” said Asees with a hope that normal sports environment will resume soon.
Unlike air rifle and pistol, where India has dominated the international scene this year, shotgun shooting has long struggled to find its aim. With the emergence of an exciting young talent like Asees, there are signs of change.
“Shooting as a sport in India is excelling but skeet shooting is not that popular. Things are changing now, however. With Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Mairaj Ahmad Khan cementing their Olympic quotas, this discipline is steadily getting better,” said Asees, who idolises American skeet shooters Vincent Hancock and Kimberley Rhode.
Apart from lacking popularity, skeet shooting is an expensive affair as well. While Asees comes from a family able to help her.
“The daily expenses during training runs into thousands but my father never brought up the topic since all he wanted was to see me succeed. I know it is a very expensive sport but I am lucky that my father has supported me in my career,” said Asees.
Asees aims to win more medals at the international level so that she will be ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I need to win medals at the international level at a consistent level. Next couple of years is going to be very important for me with Commonwealth Games and Asiad coming up,” She said.
“Every athlete dreams to become an Olympian and hopefully in 2024, I will be able to live it,” she signed off.
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