Asked to choose between MBBS & sports, Sift Kaur Samra from Punjab refused to lay down arms, wins World Cup medal
BHOPAL:
First-year MBBS student Sift Kaur Samra won her first individual World
Cup medal on Sunday as her family watched with pride from the gallery at
the ISSF tournament in Bhopal. For the 22-year-old, the podium finish
came on the back of a very tough decision – choosing between two
targets, her education and her passion.
The tournament dates
clashed with her first-year MBBS exams. She says she requested her
college to hold the exams separately for her so that she could represent
the nation but it was turned down. Asked to choose between the scalpel
and her rifle, she chose the sport. “And I’ll stick to my guns till the
2024 Olympics,” she told TOI.
Samra
shot her way to a bronze in the women’s 50m rifle 3-position, taking
India’s medal tally to seven and ensuring second place for the
country.Her happiness is tinged with concern for her MBBS, though. That
she cracked NEET while keeping her sights on the bullseye is exemplary,
but juggling the two proved tough.
“I am not able to manage shooting
with MBBS. Before coming here, I requested my college to hold separate
exams for me, but they refused. They went on suggesting that I should
repeat the first year,” said Samra, a student of Government GGS Medical
College, Faridkot, Punjab.
“I met a couple of ministers and other
influential people to help me but to no avail,” said Samra, who is the
first shooter in her family.
She said she was about to quit the
sport last year. “After being selected for MBBS, I had made up my mind
to give up shooting. However, a national championship was being held in
Bhopal, so I told myself I’ll call it quits after the tournament. I set a
national record and life changed. I realised that I should not leave
shooting,” said Samra.
So what of
her medical course? “I haven't thought about it. I have no idea whether
my college will consider me for a separate exam. I do not know what will
happen about my academics,” she said, adding in the same breath: “I
have set my sights on the next Olympics. I’ll give MBBS a thought only
after that.”
The Punjab girl does not like pistols. It’s rifles for her.
On
Sunday, as the reigning national champion, Samra began on a strong note
in the qualification of the women’s 3P with 588 points, securing the
second spot after China’s Zhang Qiongyue (594). Samra displayed
excellent consistency in the finals to secure a bronze after she shot
403.9 in the top-eight ranking round. Zhang defeated Aneta Brabcova of
the Czech Republic 16-8 for the gold.
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