Anjum Moudgil's Journey to Paris 2024: Overcoming turbulent times

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Anjum Moudgil, the former world number one shooter has booked her spot for the Paris Olympics after battling through a rough time in her career. Moudgil had competed in two events at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing 15th in the 50m rifle 3 position and 18th in the 10m air rifle. In the Paris Games, however, she has decided to participate in just the women's 50m 3 position event.

This has not been an easy ride to this point for Moudgil, though. Moudgil was dropped from the Indian team for the Asian Games and World Championships last year due to inconsistency, and that turned out to be a defining period for the 30-year-old shooter.

The setback saw Moudgil rededicate herself to the cause of strengthening her mental strength and stepping up the practice. Getting these two ingredients of her performance right once again did not only help her regain peak form, but she also got an opportunity to don the national colours once more.

"It has been a roller-coaster ride for me the last three years after Tokyo", Moudgil shared during a virtual media interaction. "The experiences from Tokyo will of course remain very useful in Paris", she added while explaining her journey. "I have had my share of bad days but I was seeking that day where I can make a stronger comeback."

She also appreciated that the federation stood by her through turbulent times, "I made full use of the quotas and the trials, the federation gave me the support and encouragement not to give up. I missed the selection at the World Championship and Asian Games trials by 2 marks, but I knew there was still some hope."

While Moudgil gets ready for the Paris Games, she is eyeing any experience and training to help her do better than ever.

While reflecting on her journey, Moudgil said she focused on approaching trials with a focused approach and stated, "I was completely focused on giving my best. Understanding my strengths and how to handle pressure really paid off."

It wasn't until after the Tokyo Olympics that Moudgil's career really took off, with several World Cup medals and becoming the world number one. "I started focusing on mental preparation, and that has been really very important for me," said Moudgil. "I've learned to articulate what I feel, which is a good shift as I get ready for Paris. It is about constant evolution and trying to get what is best suited for me."

Moudgil underlined the dynamic landscape of mental health in sports, particularly at the Olympics. She emphasized that this is important for something like the Mentally Fit Helpline, which had recently been rolled out by the International Olympic Committee. "Federations and IOC taking mental health seriously is very important," she said. "Developing mental toughness traditionally is an area that is very important. So, the mental health helpline being implemented for the Paris Olympics is definitely a welcome move."

This will be her foray as Moudgil gets into the preparation grind for the competition in Chateuroux, France, with complete dedication to her build-up before the mega event.

India has announced a formidable 21-member shooting contingent for the Paris Games, which will feature the talented 22-year-old Sift Kaur Samra in the women's 50m 3P event alongside seasoned shooter Moudgil in women's 3p rifle event.

Moudgil said about the team's strength, "There are so many young shooters who are really very strong, and hence pushing their limits. The competition in my event was very high and really motivating. My journey here is due to three years of hard work."

Looking ahead now to Paris, she enthused about the youthful contingent: "I am very positive about our chances. Everybody is confident, and the spirit in the team is great. We all now focus on giving the best performance with a positive mindset."

Drawing from her experience in Tokyo, Moudgil highlighted the challenges posed by Covid-19. "Tokyo was a different environment due to Covid precautions. We have been through disruptions like daily tests and the risk of being ruled out. The pressure and competition we went through during our trials in India has actually prepared us well for the Olympics."

Speaking about the Paris Olympics, she said, "I'm banking on my Tokyo experiences to excel in Paris. We have had time enough to get ready since the winning quotas, three years ago, and though the postponement happened, we think only of doing the best that is possible from our side."

The events will be held in the National Shooting Center of Châteauroux, some 270km from Paris, in the Indre department of France. The team is closing out its training camp in Luxembourg and will leave for Châteauroux on the 21st, completing preparation as scheduled.