When an athlete gears up for a major event, they often oscillate between pressure and excitement. For Anish Bhanwala, who is set to debut at the Paris Olympics 2024, excitement is the prevailing emotion. He is determined not to let pressure overshadow his enthusiasm.
In a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Anish Bhanwala expressed his excitement with a calm demeanor and a smile on his face:
“I am excited. Till now I am not feeling anything special. It’s just like another normal day of training. I hope it goes the same way till the Olympics. The competition day will of course be special and that’s the day I am preparing for.”
A Practical Approach to Training
Anish Bhanwala’s practicality shines through in his approach to the event. Unlike many athletes who might try to make last-minute adjustments, he believes this is not the time for significant changes.
“I have trained a lot, like hundreds and thousands of hours. Considering the time left for the competition, no improvement can be made at this point. The main task is to maintain the things, to finetune the technique a bit, and stick to the basics,” he explained.
Family Support: The Backbone of Success
Anish Bhanwala’s journey to this point has been significantly bolstered by the unwavering support of his family. As a gold medalist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, he acknowledges that he couldn’t have reached such heights without them. His parents, in particular, have made considerable sacrifices to support his shooting career.
“If I didn’t have the support from my family, it wouldn’t have been possible to come this far. There was no shooting range (in 2013) from where I belonged. I used to go to a village for training which was 30-40 minutes away from my school. My parents provided me with all the possible things, of course also the financial support, which is not easy for the family or anyone,” he said.
He added, “More importantly, they have traveled with me to every domestic competition in the last 10 years. Now we have left our home and shifted to Delhi. That was also a big step for them, to sacrifice their social life and their work. They left everything for my shooting. I am blessed to have such parents.”
Mentorship: Learning from a Champion
Anish Bhanwala has also benefited from the mentorship of Harpreet Singh, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Singh has been an inspiration and a crucial part of Bhanwala’s training journey.
“He won two gold medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. His house is like 200m away from my
One day, Bhanwala introduced himself to Singh. Singh, happy to meet the young shooter, took an interest in Bhanwala’s training.
“One day he asked where I train. He visited our range as well. He was on the national team at that time. He saw what we do and explained the basics of shooting. We met him again after 2-3 months and he was happy to see our progress. We were following the things he had explained. Since then we are getting closer and he gave us more time. Eventually, when I went to the national team, he understood that I needed him,” he added.
Sacrifices Made by Coach Harpreet Singh
Singh’s commitment to Bhanwala’s success has been immense. He even left his police duties to move to Delhi and train Bhanwala.
“He left his police duty for me too and came to Delhi. He was like my idol. I have good basics (thanks to him), which not every shooter gets this opportunity to train with such a great shooter with such experience. We both trusted each other and till now it’s going fantastic.”
The Plan for the Paris Olympics
When it comes to the Paris Olympics, Bhanwala is not fixated on winning a medal. Instead, he focuses on delivering his best performance.
“I’ll tell you about my plan. I have been preparing for many years now. For the Olympics, my plan is simple, that is to do what I have planned and prepared. A medal is secondary like any other competition. Either I win or I learn. Here everybody expects us to win the medal. The only thing I can do is give my 100% and a little bit more. If I get the medal, of course, it will mean a lot, not just to me but to all the athletes who are going to represent India at the Olympics.”
As a debutant at the upcoming Games, if Anish Bhanwala manages to secure a medal, it will stand as a testament to the hard work and sacrifices made by him, his family, and his coach. These are the fundamental qualities that define a true champion.
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