"Don't Carry Past Burdens": Anjum Moudgil Hopes For Good Outing At Paris Olympics

Paris Olympics is just around the corner and India is buzzing with excitement and hope, especially when it comes to shooting. Among the shooters carrying the burden of hopes is Anjum Moudgil, who has faced her share of professional setbacks, is approaching the quadrennial extravaganza with a renewed positive mindset and determination. Competing only in the 50m rifle 3 positions event this time, Anjum has evolved significantly since her last Olympic appearance in Tokyo in 2021. After missing out on 2023 World Championships and the deferred 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Anjum has made a strong comeback.

Her exclusion was a hard blow, but rather than dwelling on missed opportunities, Anjum chose to explore new experiences, taking up paragliding and enjoying the mountains of Himachal Pradesh.

In an interaction with IANS, Anjum discussed her preparation for the Paris Olympics.

Reflecting on her journey, she said, "I'm ready for Paris; the past few weeks or months have been a solid gauge of our readiness and ability to handle pressure. The way my trials and tournaments went makes me very happy. I am therefore in a good mood, organized with my routines, and proceeding as I had intended during the previous several months."

After the disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics, where she finished 15th in the 50m 3p and 18th in the 10m air rifle, Anjum bounced back in 2022 with a silver medal at the Baku World Cup and a bronze at the Changwon World Cup. She ascended to World No.1 in the 50m 3p in July 2022.

"I don't carry past burdens. Tokyo was disappointed but Paris surely will be the next big thing for me," she said. "To be selected for Tokyo the last time I qualified, I had to win the quota three years before the games and