NEW DELHI: Every Indian suffered heartbreak as just one point separated Maheshwari Chauhan from what would have been a historic Olympic bronze in the skeet mixed team event at the Paris Olympics last year. The razor-thin margin (43-44) against the Chinese counterpart continues to sting, long after the dust has settled. “In our sport, one point makes all the difference.It was a terrible feeling that I hope I never have to experience again,” Maheshwari recalls.But if there’s one trait that defines the 28-year-old shooter from Rajasthan, it is her remarkable ability to turn pain into purpose. The fact that she hails from a family of shooters does help, though.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Hailing from a quiet village of Siyana in Rajasthan, she grew up on a farm, and picked up a gun at 13. Her late grandfather, Ganpat Singh, and her father, Pradeep Singh, were both seasoned shooters who competed at the national level. Her husband shares her passion for shooting as well.“I was surrounded by the game,” she recalls. “It would’ve been hard to have an interest if I hadn’t grown up around it.”“He (her husband) shoots trap as a hobby and completely understands what this sport demands,” she shares. “Having that kind of support at home, the kind that gives you peace and security, is invaluable. It allows me to focus entirely on my game.”
But why skeet? “It’s less popular even within shooting because it’s expensive, everything’s imported, and you need a license. That makes shotgun events less accessible than rifle or pistol,” she admits.
Return from Olympic heartbreak… with more heartbreak
She made a return to international competition at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun stage in Nicosia, Cyprus and once again found herself on the wrong side of a narrow margin — missing out on qualifying by two points.For Maheshwari, Nicosia was meant to be a reset — a clean slate after nearly eight months off the international circuit.While March was spent training with her personal coach in Italy, April saw her split time between solo sessions and a national camp. The pressure of a comeback, coupled with the high bar she had set for herself, weighed heavy.The unhealed scar of the Paris Olympics, that one-point loss in the bronze medal match against China, is something she hasn’t forgotten. And doesn’t intend to.“That loss gave me fire and confidence. I didn’t want a break — I was back on the range in a month, using the hunger and frustration as fuel,” Maheshwari, whose botanical arts often find their way into her sister-in-law’s clothing line in Udaipur, adds. And now, looking ahead, her vision is clear. “This year is about pacing myself this year,” she says.ALSO READ: ‘Parampara, Pratishtha, Anushasan’: How 18-year-old Suruchi Singh became India’s new shooting sensation“The second half of the next year gets busy with the Asians, World Championship, and 2028 Olympic quota spots opening up.”“I want to make finals and podium finishes a habit now. The Olympics was a great starting point. But now, it’s time to go beyond and break some more glass ceilings in the way.”
