15-year old double trap shooter Shardul Vihan became the youngest Indian athlete at the ongoing 2018 Asian Games in Palembang to win a medal. Shardul bagged a silver medal in the double trap event as he ended the final with a score of 73 in the final to finish behind South Korea’s Hyunwoo Shin. And 38-year old double trap veteran Ronjan Sodhi claimed that the youngster’s crucial medal in the shotgun event was a real ‘big one’ as far as Indian shooting was concerned.

“Just a point apart (from the gold medallist). That (holding out a cartridge) everybody does. It’s a way to point the gun. But I could read his lips. It was self-talk. For a 15-year-old to do that is just amazing,” Sodhi added.

“They have proved me wrong. In shotgun, it’s your friend after 25. But Lakshay and Shardul going on to win at the Asian Games at such a young age is huge. At the Commonwealth Games, it was Manu (Bhaker) and Anish (Bhanwala), who is yet to shoot at this Asian Games. Here we have Saurabh, Lakshay, Shardul. Saurabh going into his first senior competition and winning gold is brilliant.

“He (Raninder) started the junior programme. Many criticised it at that point, questioning why so much is being spent on juniors. I spoke to Raninder (after Shardul’s medal) and congratulated him. The selection policy needs to be credited as well, otherwise only experienced shooters would have gone to the Asian Games. But they (selectors) chose those who shot the best in the trials. So a lot of credit should go to the selection committee and the federation,” Sodhi included.