‘Disheartened’ Arjun Babuta opens up on emotions after missing out on medal

Chateauroux, July 29: Arjun Babuta missed out on what would have been India’s second medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics as he finished fourth in the final of the men’s 10m air rifle. Following the heartbreaking loss, the shooter opened up on what this day meant for him and what he learnt from the close defeat.

“Disheartening for sure but I would say it is what it is for today and if it was meant to be, it would have happened. I believe in luck and it was not my day,” he told reporters, here.

“This one day does not define me or my shooting. I will switch off for a while and then come back with the medal energy, no matter how hard you try even if you put in hundred per cent, I learnt that you can never say for sure you’re going to win. Of course, you can go for it and you have to try your best,” added the 25-year-old.

Arjun’s bid to win India’s sixth-ever medal in shooting in Olympics history saw him enter the final two elimination series tied with Croatia’s Miran Maricic at the score of 167.8 points with Swedish shooter Victor Lindgren trailing by just 0.1 points but gave away the advantage in the final two rounds of the elimination shootout and was eliminated with a score of 208.4.

Arjun further emphasised on what playing in the Olympics means for an athlete and admitted that the pressure is ‘definitely there.’

“It is definitely there (pressure of playing at the Olympics) because it only comes once in four years and the entire country pins their hopes on you, you are carrying parents, friends and everyone’s hopes. The pressure is there but you have to stay true to your process and the way you mentally fight describes us,” concluded Babuta.