Born into a family of farmers, Saurabh Chaudhary took to shooting at the tender age of 14. A native of Uttar Pradesh’s Kalina, he used to travel 15 kilometers from his village every day for training.
Owning a pistol was a luxury back then for the young prodigy and his family bought the equipment by taking a loan. A shooting range was set up in the backyard so Saurabh Chaudhary could practice at home.
The rewards for his hard work came soon enough.
He won three gold medals and set a junior world record at the ISSF Junior World Cup in 2018. Later that year, Saurabh defeated the senior participants in the 2018 Asian Games by winning gold in the individual 10m Air Pistol event. He became the youngest and the fifth Indian shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal.
Saurabh Chaudhary is a shooter who has already made a name for himself internationally; as he will compete in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics 2020. The teenager currently holds two world records, one in 10m air pistol and one in 10m pistol mixed team. Saurabh made his senior ISSF debut and set a world record in 10m air pistol, earning him not only a gold medal in the tournament but also a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics.
How Old is Saurabh Chaudhary?
Saurabh Chaudhary, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Kalina village, was born on May 12, 2002, and is only 19 years old. Saurabh used to travel 15 kilometers from his village to get training every day, and he showed some impressive results right away in the first few days, which drew the attention of his coach, Amit Sheoran. Because owning a pistol is a luxury, Saurabh’s family bought him the equipment after taking out a loan to support him. They even helped him build a shooting range in his backyard so he could practice at home.
Saurabh’s efforts soon paid off, and in 2018, he introduced himself to India and the rest of the world. He won three gold medals at the ISSF Junior WorldCup in 2018 in three different events: individual 10m Air Pistol, team 10m Air Pistol, and mixed team 10m Air Pistol. Along with the victory, In the same tournament, he also set a junior world record.
Saurabh’s efforts soon paid off, and in 2018, he introduced himself to India and the rest of the world. He won three gold medals at the ISSF Junior WorldCup in 2018 in three different events: individual 10m Air Pistol, team 10m Air Pistol, and mixed team 10m Air Pistol. Along with the victory, In the same tournament, he also set a junior world record.
Later that year, in the 2018 Asian Games, Saurabh won gold in the individual 10m Air Pistol event, defeating the tournament’s senior participants. He became the youngest Indian shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal, as well as the fifth Indian shooter to do so. Saurabh capped off a spectacular year by winning three additional medals in the ISSF World Shooting Championships, including gold, silver, and bronze. He also won a gold medal at the Argentina Youth Olympics. He accomplished so much as a young player, despite the fact that he was just 16 years old at the time. After dominating junior events, it was time for him to compete in senior tournaments. In 2019, he began his senior career with a gold medal in the men’s 10m Air Pistol at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, shooting a world record 245. Along with the gold, he earned a spot in the Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo Olympics Qualification
Saurabh Chaudhary is one of India’s top hopes for a medal, especially given his performance in Croatia. The pistol shooter partnered with Manu Bhaker to bag a silver in the mixed team event in his last event. The duo has won multiple ISSF World Cup gold medals since 2019. The Meerut-born shooter has qualified for the World Cup final every time in the last couple of years.
