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Indian shooter Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve is focused on executing his skills and staying composed as he prepares for the upcoming Asian Games, saying that following the process and maintaining focus on each shot will be key to success.
Indian shooters will aim for a record-breaking performance as the Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Speaking to ANI, Kedarling said the preparations have been going well, and the main objective is to implement the techniques and strategies developed during training at the competition. "Preparations are going great, and expectations are that whatever we have done so far whatever sports, shooting, and whatever our technique and formula is we have to execute it correctly in the game. Whatever skill we have worked on and developed, we just need to execute our skills there. Then everything will come automatically," he said. The shooter added that despite the scale of the Asian Games, the fundamentals of the sport remain the same, and he relies on visualisation and meditation to handle pressure. "It is big, but for us, the range will be the same, 10 meters, and the match will be the same. So we just visualise for the games. Visualisation, meditation. We see ourselves there, standing on the range and shooting. So automatically, whatever pressure is there, it goes away," Kedarling said. Coming from a small village in Karnataka, Kedarling grew up in a family whose livelihood is rooted in agriculture. His parents continue to work in farming, while he grew up in a joint family with his siblings, grandparents and extended family. Sporting ambitions were not necessarily part of his early life. As a youngster, he had participated in running events, including the 1500m at the district level, but never imagined that one day he would represent India on an international sporting stage. For Kedarling, the support he receives from the national shooting set-up is as much about the environment as it is about resources. Talking about handling pressure during competitions, the Indian shooter highlighted the importance of staying in the present and focusing on one shot at a time. "One shot at a time. In our game, think about the present shot. Not about the previous shot being bad, which would ruin the whole match. You have to keep yourself calm based on the training you've done. You have to prepare yourself for the next shot. That's it," he added. Reflecting on his journey from joining the Indian Army to becoming an international shooter, Kedarling said representing India on the shooting stage was never something he had initially planned. "No, I hadn't thought about it. But I also hadn't thought about it before joining the Army. In 2018, it was just about joining the Army and serving the country. Also, the home's financial condition wasn't that stable. So I came as a soldier," he said. He added that his introduction to shooting came through the Army, where he received support from coaches and continued improving. "Since then, I was introduced to shooting there. Then I kept doing well, got good support, and good coaches too. So the journey is going on and has reached here," Kedarling concluded. (ANI)
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