Hope to Shoot for Asian Games Gold, Says CWG Star Anish Bhanwala

“Asian Games or CWG, medals have to be won in tournaments,” said the young shooter.

Shooter Anish Bhanwala spoke to The Quint ahead of Asian Games 2018. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
Camera: Abhay Sharma

At just 15, Anish Bhanwala became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, with a record score in the 25m rapid fire pistol event. He is now set to compete in his first Asian Games, starting 18 August in Indonesia, where he hopes to shoot for gold.

Among the 28 shooters representing India at the quadrennial event this year, Anish will be participating in the men’s rapid fire pistol event along with Shivam Shukla. The unfazed Haryana-born shooter said, “Feelings are normal because I’ve played so many competitions. And the preparation for the Asian Games is going well and my main focus is on the training”.

Asked if he expected the Asian Games to be more challenging than the CWG, he said:

Asian Games or CWG, medals have to be won in tournaments.

“But I have complete faith on my training. There is a little difference in the competition at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games but since it’s an individual sport, I just want to focus on myself. If I shoot well, things will go well,” he said.

At the ISSF Junior World Cup in June, Bhanwala bagged a bronze in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol. This was his fourth international medal of the year.

My training has been the same after the CWG but all the competitions I have played since have given me experience, as has the training.

Anish Bhanwala

India will be a represented by a massive 524-member contingent across 36 disciplines at the upcoming Asian Games, in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.

For more latest news and updates from the 2018 Asian Games, click here.