Kamaljeet’s second sporting life: From injury setback to Asian Games glory | Other Sports News

An injury on the athletics track brought one sporting dream to an abrupt end for Kamaljeet. But instead of walking away from sport, the youngster found a new path in the shooting range.

The 22-year-old from Rewari took up pistol shooting in 2019 and has since emerged as one of India’s leading 50m Pistol shooters. His journey, however, has been far from straightforward, involving financial struggles, family sacrifices and a complete transition from track and field to shooting.

Now, Kamaljeet is preparing for the biggest opportunity of his young career, representing India at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

The shooting competitions are scheduled to be held from September 17 to October 3 at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery.

Family Sacrifices Kept His Shooting Dream Alive

Kamaljeet’s journey into competitive shooting came with significant financial challenges. Coming from a middle-class family, he had to find ways to fund course fees and international competitions during the early stages of his career.

There were moments when continuing in the 50m Pistol event seemed almost impossible.

“We are a middle-class family, but my parents never let me quit shooting. I had to manage my own expenses for course fees and international matches early on, and there were times I thought I wouldn’t continue in the 50m Pistol event. It took me two to three years to earn that money back, but my family never asked questions, they gave me whatever I needed to keep going.”

A Coach From His Own Village

Moving from athletics to shooting meant starting almost from scratch. Kamaljeet found stability through a coaching relationship that extended beyond the shooting range.

His only coach was from his village, creating a bond that Kamaljeet describes as almost familial.

“I have only one shooting coach who taught me everything from scratch. He is from my village, so our relationship feels like family. Between my coach and my uncle at home, I’ve had the strongest foundation throughout this journey.”

That support system helped him navigate the technical and mental demands of a sport in which consistency and composure can be as important as raw ability.

SAI and NRAI Support Ease Financial Pressure

As Kamaljeet’s performances improved on the domestic circuit, institutional support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) helped remove one of the biggest obstacles from his path.

The financial pressure that had once forced him to worry about basic expenses gradually disappeared, allowing him to focus entirely on training and competition.

“Earlier, I used to struggle a lot just to manage basic expenses, but having sponsorship and support from SAI took a huge weight off my shoulders. Once I could focus purely on my sport, the pathway became very clear because of how transparent NRAI’s selection process is.”

For Kamaljeet, the selection system has also provided clarity over what is required to break into the national team.

“My place in the national squad came strictly on merit, based on the ranking points I accumulated across the ranking events. When you know the system is entirely performance-driven and every point you earn counts, it gives you complete confidence to just step onto the lane and shoot your best without any second thoughts.”

The availability of international-standard equipment and ammunition has further allowed him to concentrate solely on performance.

“On top of that, NRAI provides us with top-quality equipment and ammunition, the exact same standard we use in international competitions. That takes away any worry about our gear on the global stage so we can stay fully focused on performance.”

Junior World Champion to Asian Games Debut

Kamaljeet’s rise has already included significant international success.

He won gold in the Men’s 50m Pistol Junior event at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships and recently added a silver medal at the Asian Championships in New Delhi.

His recent World Cup experience, meanwhile, has provided another layer of preparation ahead of his Asian Games debut.

“The World Cup was a valuable learning experience. While my performance wasn’t exactly what I wanted, it motivated me to refine my preparation. This will be my first Asian Games, and having gained international match exposure, I feel much more confident entering the range in Japan.”

Rather than viewing the World Cup result as a setback, Kamaljeet has used it to identify areas that need improvement before the continental showpiece.

From Practice Scores to Match-Day Belief

Perhaps the biggest transformation has been mental.

Kamaljeet says he once struggled to reproduce his practice performances when the pressure of competition arrived. That, he believes, has changed with experience.

“Earlier, I used to shoot good scores only in practice, but now I have the belief that I can deliver the same performance under match pressure. One lesson has stayed with me through every phase: if it doesn’t happen the way you wanted, it will happen in a better way than you imagined.”

That belief will be tested on one of the biggest stages of his career in Japan.

At the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, Kamaljeet will compete in the Men’s 50m Pistol event, the discipline that began as an unlikely second chapter after an injury ended his athletics journey.

What started as a sporting setback has now taken him to the Asian Games.

And for Kamaljeet, the journey from the athletics track to the shooting range may have been unexpected, but it has ultimately brought him closer to the biggest sporting opportunity of his career.