File photo of shooter Rhythm Sangwan. (Instagram)
NEW DELHI: For Rhythm Sangwan, honesty comes easy. There is no attempt to dress up the pressure of competing at home, no rehearsed bravado. At 22, the Meerut-born shot-stopper has built a resume that many would envy. “I would say it’s happening especially in Delhi at our home ground, it has its pluses and minuses because you expect your people to do well for the Indian athletes and I believe it will be a challenge,” Sangwan told reporters during a virtual interaction on Thursday after completing her first day of camp for the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship, which begins on February 2 in New Delhi.Exclusive GM Raunak Sadhwani: Becoming a Grandmaster at 13, the hidden cost of the game and more #chess
From ISSF Junior World Cup titles, Senior World Championship medals and the Women’s 25m Pistol Qualification World Record, she has already won many battles. Still, one line in her resume is still incomplete: the gold at the Asian Championship.She was close. In her second appearance at the 2024 Asian Championships, Sangwan secured two bronze medals and a silver. However, gold remained out of reach. And now that the continental meet is coming to Delhi, the chance of gold doesn’t seem far off. However, Sangwan is careful not to let her past weigh her down.“I don’t think we take it personally, because if we think about history, then we won’t be able to finish and focus on what’s in front of us,” she added. “We just focus on our process and I think that’s what it’s about.”The word “process” recurs frequently in her vocabulary. Even at the beginning of the new year, detachment from any medal predictions resonates in her tone.Looking back on the previous year, Sangwan sees 2025 as a period of learning rather than results.“I’d say I’ve learned a lot. I’ve made some changes since I took a break from my international races. I also competed at the ISSF World Championships in China. I really enjoyed that race and this place has also become a new favorite,” she noted.For someone who has already experienced the heights of global success at a young age, managing the expectations can easily be overwhelming.“My approach is to take it one step at a time,” she admitted. “At the moment, I’m only focused on the Asian Championship and we’ll see how we move forward.”
I just want to focus on my process. I think that is the only goal, because for every athlete there is a different goal, but I believe that if we stick to it, we can achieve results. As they say, focus on the process and the results will come
Sangwan rhythm
Does he have any specific goals for this tournament?“I just want to focus on my process. I think that’s the only goal because every athlete has a different goal, but I believe that if we stick to it, we can get results. As they say, focus on the process and the results will come.”Technically, the preparation was more about fine-tuning than an overhaul.“Nothing major has (changed) yet, but we’ll add things here and there. So it’s continued throughout the year based on performance and feedback from my coach,” she said.If Sangwan’s words are any indication, the missing gold doesn’t seem like a burden, more like just another downrange target waiting for his turn.(The Asian Rifle and Pistol Shooting Championship will be broadcast live on FanCode.)