Sonam Maskar sets her sights on Olympic gold after silver-show in ISSF Shooting World Cup

The 22-year-old Sonam was one of the four Indian shooters to get direct entry for the championship as she had won the individual and mixed silver medal in the Cairo World Cup earlier in the season.

Soman Maskar during in ISSF Shooting World Cup Final. | Photo Credit: KAMESH SRINIVASAN

In July 2022, Uttam Maskar bought his daughter her first air gun to give her a real shot at pursuing a shooting career, not fully knowing what the future held for her. “She was only starting out, but her coaches told me she had talent; she just needed her own equipment if she really wanted to make something of herself,” he recalls.

He could hardly have fathomed that a couple of years later, shooting with that same gun — a grey Walther LG 400 — his daughter Sonam would provide a silver lining on an otherwise disappointing day for Indian shooters at the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi. On a day when India went without a win, Sonam claimed the country’s sole medal: silver in the women’s 10m air rifle competition.

Competing at a World Cup final is always challenging, and the 22-year-old Sonam faced a high-quality field that included Olympic silver medallist Keum Ji-hyeon, Olympic bronze medallist Audrey Gogniat, and Olympic fifth-place finisher Oceanne Muller. Ultimately, she finished behind China’s double Olympic medallist Huang Yuting. It took a new world record of 254.5 from Yuting to keep the Indian off the top step of the podium.

In doing so, she cemented her position as one of India’s top prospects in the marquee 10m air rifle category. Over the course of the year, Sonam made her maiden senior appearance for India at the Cairo World Cup, where she won two silver medals, earning the right to compete at the World Cup finals. While her performance in the final secured her a medal, her qualification round score of 632.1 was also impressive.

Although her future looks promising now, it was a different story two years ago when Uttam was contemplating his decision. At that time, his daughter had only been shooting for a few months. The rifle and her entire kit cost around Rs 5 lakh.

This wouldn’t have been an expense he would have worried about just a few years earlier. Originally from Pushpnagar village in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district, Uttam had built a successful milk distribution business in Mumbai over the years.

Soman Maskar in action in ISSF Shooting World Cup Final. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Late start

Sonam, the second of Uttam’s three children, was raised in Mumbai. It was while enrolling in junior college at Andheri’s Tolani College of Commerce that she first learned about shooting. “I was actually a chess player initially, but when I started college in 2018, I found out that my college didn’t have a chess programme. They offered sports like archery, shooting, and boxing, so I eventually chose shooting,” she says.

Although she enjoyed the sport, she wasn’t particularly serious about it at first. That changed dramatically after the Covid-19 pandemic. The lockdown, intended to curb the spread of the virus, effectively decimated Uttam’s milk distribution business. He sold most of the family’s property and cars, ultimately moving the family back to their village.

“I was out of the sport for over a year at that point. Finally, in 2021, I decided I wanted to take up shooting again. It was very frustrating to just sit at home during the lockdown,” Sonam recalls.

She joined Vedh Rifle And Pistol Shooting Academy, run by Rohit Hawaldar and his wife, former international shooter Radhika Barale. Since the academy is about 60 kilometres from her village, Sonam convinced her father to let her stay in a hostel nearby. For his part, Uttam was supportive. “I’ve never been someone to tell my children they can’t do something. Sonam seemed serious about shooting, so I agreed to let her stay at the hostel,” he says.

Initially, Sonam practised with a rifle and kit provided by the academy. However, it soon became clear that she needed better equipment. “She was someone I considered a natural shooter,” says Hawaldar. “She was performing well even with a gun that was a decade old and wearing my wife’s kit. But I knew that if she wanted to succeed as a proper shooter, she needed her own equipment.”

Uttam admits he took his time to make his decision. A couple of months after he learned what Sonam needed, he sold one of his few remaining assets from his business and bought her the necessary gear. “Ultimately, I’m working for my children. So it was the right decision to make,” Uttam reflects.

Sonam with her father Uttam Maskar (L) | Photo Credit: KAMESH SRINIVASAN

He may not fully grasp the intricacies of the game or even the specifics of the rifle he purchased for his daughter, but what matters to him is that it has benefited her. The results were immediate — she finished in the top 30 at her first national championships just a few months after starting to use her own kit. This achievement earned her the right to compete in the trials for the junior team for international competitions, which she ultimately excelled in.

Results came quickly, and they needed to. “Sonam started her sport a little late, so she had only one year of eligibility remaining to compete as a junior,” says her coach.

Making the most of opportunity

She made the most of her opportunities, competing at the 2023 Junior World Championships and the Asian Junior Championships, where she finished fourth. However, her focus on maximising her junior career meant she ultimately missed the chance to participate in the selection trials for the Indian team competing at the Paris Olympics. While she made a late attempt to break into the top six, who would compete for a chance to go to Paris, she ultimately fell just 0.3 points short.

This near miss has been a source of frustration for her coach. “It bothered her because she knew she was shooting the same scores in practice that were being achieved in the trials. She has all the qualities needed to be a great shooter. Most importantly, she can naturally keep her calm and maintain her technique in very challenging situations. This is a quality some people are born with, and Sonam is one of them. She understood that with all these gifts and her current form, she could have been on the plane to Paris too,” says Hawaldar.

While she missed the opportunity to compete at the Paris Games, Sonam believes she has what it takes to succeed at the Olympics. “This year, I moved from Kolhapur to Delhi (she stays at the SAI hostel at the Karni Singh Shooting Range) because the facilities here are what I need to improve. I have a poster in my hostel room that says ‘Los Angeles 2028 Games gold medallist’ on it. That’s my target. I would have loved to compete at the Olympics this year, but I’ve only really been shooting for a little over two years. I need to keep working hard, and things will happen for me,” she says.