Suruchi Phogat, a pupil of coach Suresh Singh, is making winning a habit at the National Games.
After clinching seven gold medals at the National Games in New Delhi, the native of Olympian Manu Bhaker’s neighbouring village Sasroli, made the women’s 10m air pistol event her own by shooting a score of 245.7 points.
Her seven-medal haul was an achievement that even the Paris 2024 double bronze medalist couldn’t comprehend.
“Coach sahab, mere toh kabhi 7 gold medal nahi aye aapke saath! Apne kuch technique chupaya tha mere se! (Coach how come I never won 7 gold medals while training with you. You have almost certainly kept some of your secrets from me!),” Suresh recalls Bhaker pulling her leg in an interview with Sportstar.
Shooting happened to her after initially being drawn to wrestling.
“We are Phogat’s – the same as (Olympians) Vinesh, Geeta and Babita. Wrestling is in our blood. Our village is famous for wrestling. Goonga Pehelwan (multiple-time Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh) is from our village. Suruchi started in wrestling too but she fractured her collarbone after a few months. After that I decided she should be a shooter,” her father Inder said.
Then he took his daughter to Bhaker’s first coach at the Bhiwani’s Dronacharya Shooting Academy.
“I was Manu Bhaker’s first coach. She came to my academy because we were the first to have the SIUS digital meters. But she progressed so fast that she joined the national camp and then began training in Delhi,” Suresh said.
Suruchi will now prepare for the senior national trials in New Delhi, due in four days with the ultimate ambition of an Olympic medal in her mind.
“I’ve met Manu didi a few times. But I hope I can also compete well against her. She has achieved a lot and maybe I also can do that. Of course, I think of the Olympics. Hum bhi khelenge. Hum bhi le ke ayenge medal! (I will also play the Olympics. I will also win a medal),” she said.