‘Final mein gai, to gold hi layegi’: Suruchi coach Inder Singh after 2026 Asian Games triumph

Suruchi and her teammate Kamaljeet won gold in the mixed team 10m air pistol event (Image credit: Agencies) NEW DELHI: “Final mein gayi baby bye Layegi,” said an elated Suresh Singh after his student Suruchi Inder Singh helped India win its first gold medal of the day at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Friday.Suruchi and her teammate Kamaljeet won gold in the mixed team 10m air pistol event as they finished on top at the Aichi General Shooting Range to secure India’s second gold medal of the Games.For Suruchi, the victory came after a disappointing individual event.The Haryana shooter, who won four individual gold medals from the 2025 World Championships in Buenos Aires, Munich, Lima and Doha, including the World Cup final, failed to qualify for the final in the 10m individual air pistol event. She finished in 26th place in the field of 55 shooters with a score of 568-12x.“She was disappointed. But I knew she would come back stronger. She knows how to bounce back quickly and that’s her best quality. The moment she got to the final, I was 200 percent sure she would win the gold. That’s just the way she is,” the coach said.

Suruchi’s Golden Show

Suruchi and Kamaljeet were in control of the mixed team final from the start. The pair scored 103.0 in the first run of Stage 1, followed by 202.4 and 303.5. They continued their strong performance in Stage 2, scoring 364.7 in the first series to stay comfortably ahead of South Korea and Iran.After 18 runs, India remained on top and extended their lead with a score of 424.9 in the second series of the 2nd leg.Suruchi and Kamaljeet eventually finished with a total score of 484.6 to win the gold medal.South Koreans Suhyeon Hong and Gaeun Choo finished second with 478.0. The Korean pair trailed the Indians by 6.6 points, underscoring India’s control in the final.“She’s a finals athlete. Look at her record so far. If she’s made it to the finals, then you can’t stop her. She’s going for gold. She doesn’t want silver or bronze. She’s so hungry,” Suresh said.

Hours of work ahead of the Asian Games

Before the Asian Games, Suruchi worked on several aspects of her shooting with Suresh at his Guru Dronacharya Shooting Academy in Bhiwani.The coach said they focused on her technique, poise and dry shooting practice. Suruchi’s father originally wanted her to take up wrestling.“She’s been working on her hold and she’s been practicing dry shooting for hours to improve. We’ve also been working on some technical aspects,” he said.One of the key areas they focused on was timing.“The most important emphasis was on timing. I’m a coach who focuses on timing and I want my shooter to finish the game early. I told Suruchi the same thing. We decided at a specific time and tried to finish the shot at that time.”“For example, if you have 60 seconds for one shot, finish it sooner. It helps take the pressure off and allows you to focus,” he said.Now Suresh is waiting to welcome his student home.“I’m just waiting for her. Everyone was proud. We can’t wait to welcome her,” the coach said.

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