Double delight for ice-cool Esha in a star-studded field

Esha Singh’s description of shooting makes a challenging discipline seem like child’s play.

“Our sport is very simple, as is the technique. The only thing that goes wrong is when things crumble under pressure.

“The job is to try and not do that and focus on just one or two points,” the 21-year-old told The Hindu from Munich after a scintillating World record score of 43/50 to take gold in the women’s 25m pistol at the ISSF World Cup.

Esha seemingly had ice in her veins as she beat a field that also featured Paris Olympics gold medallist Yang Ji-in and former World champion Doreen Vennekamp.

“I am close friends (with my competitors). I am aware of the big names and what they have achieved. I really can’t do anything about it. That said, I also believe I am one of the top athletes. I shoot with that confidence.”

Not obsessed

Esha is not one to be obsessed with milestones. She wanted to win the gold and found out about the World record well after sealing her spot on the podium.

That it came at Munich, considered one of the tougher pitstops on the World Cup map, made the win sweeter.

“Munich is a centre point for America and Europe, so everyone can come and compete, and we have almost 100% attendance here.

“The competitive level is very high, and even qualifying for the top eight is neck and neck. Just getting to the top eight is an achievement in Munich, I’d say.”

Heat factor

She brushed aside the challenging heat that other shooters alluded to.

“For an Indian, this is not hot at all. I was sweating a bit in the finals, but that was more due to pressure and the fact that I am lifting such a heavy gun. We deal with worse conditions in India. So normal day,” she quipped.

The gold medal also brought with it a berth in the season-ending World Cup Final in Rome.

Much like her process, the celebration, too, was a no-fuss affair, a quiet dinner at a regular haunt in the German city.