Meet Sift Kaur Samra: India’s Record-Breaking Gold Medalist at Asian Games 2023 – News18

Sift Kaur Samra became the first individual gold medallist for India at the Asian Games 2023 claiming the top prize in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Position event after she, alongside, Ashi Chouksey and Manini Kaushik clinched silver in the team event.

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Kaur set a new world record en route to her individual gold shooting 469.6 points in the final, shattering the previous world record of 467.0 points which was set by Great Britain’s Seonaid McIntosh. Earlier, she qualified for the final with an Asian Qualification and Asian Games Qualification record.

Who is Sift Kaur Samra?

Kaur was born on September 9, 2001, in Punjab and trains at the prestigious Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi with Mrs. Deepali Deshpande, who is her personal coach.

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She had earned India its sixth Paris Olympic quota place, finishing fifth in the women’s 50m rifle three positions event at the ISSF World Championship last month. The 21-year-old, who had earlier this month won gold in her favourite event at the World University Games in Chengdu, China, aggregated 429.1 in the finals.

She also has a bronze medal in the individual event at the ISSF World Cup in Bhopal, in 2023, solidifying her status as a top-level shooter. She also the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl Gold medallist in 2022 and added two silver medals to her collection in the mixed team event. At the ISSF World Changwon, 2022 she won a bronze medal in the team event.

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Kaur was introduced to shooting just seven years ago in a shooting range in Faridkot. Her father, a businessman supported and even set up a 50-meter gun range inside their house, complete with paper targets.

Kaur has made up her mind about what she wants to do now that she is at a crossroads and has to decide whether to keep shooting or focus on a job in medicine. Shooting has become her top priority, and she plans to keep doing it until 2024.

She is supported by the Indian government’s TOPS scheme (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) for the Paris Olympics 2024.