They are on top of the world in rifle rankings, with their rich experience and achievements, but Snježana Pejčić and Petar Gorša of Croatia were disarmingly frank in giving an insight into their approach to Tokyo Olympics.
In the Happiness Times series, targeted to inspire the youngsters with the journey of icons, the vice president of Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, Amit Bhalla, stressed that it was important to drive the mood of the world towards positivity in tough times.
"I have 25 years of experience in the sport. Two months off, will not keep me out of the game," said Snježana, the Beijing Olympics bronze medallist, responding to the loss of training time during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I really hope Olympics will be held next year, and we will be in Tokyo. I have learned the hard way that you don’t expect to get anything in the Olympics. It is completely different to the World Championship and World Cups," she said.
"You go, give your best and hope for the best. It is my mantra," said Snježana, who was honest to concede that her bronze in Beijing was a blurr in memory.
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"It was my first Olympics, and I was happy to be in Beijing with athletes from other sports. I won the medal, no idea how. During pre-event training I was very nervous. I thought, if I am this shaky now, how will I be tomorrow. That bronze medal felt like gold. It was the greatest moment of my career," said Snježana who shoots both the air rifle and the 3-position events, like Gorša.
Quite pleased to have made the final in his third Olympics, Gorsa was quite clear about his approach to the Tokyo Games. "We will think about Olympics three months before the Games. Otherwise, one will get mentally saturated. Will plan carefully to be refreshed for the Olympics. Will do more mental training, than shooting. I have managed to be in the final, in the third Olympics. I want a strong performance in Tokyo next year," said Gorša.
Gorša said that he wanted to be remembered by the people whose lives he had touched, ‘’than by my own results’’.
From a bright youngster, who was the best in the world and competed in his first Olympics when he was 20, Gorsa said that he had matured along the way, to be able to accept failures. "I am happy to reach a new high, irrespective of the level of competition," he said.
Snježana was thrilled to have visited Taj Mahal, which she called "one of three best monuments made by man’’, and said that she loved travelling and capturing happy moments on camera. She was candid to say that one had to listen to the body and that she would take time off, even in the middle of the season, if required. "The body knows what we need," she said.
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