The Hindu : Ronak fighting for a medal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002

Sport

Sport - Shooting

Ronak fighting for a medal

By Kamesh Srinivasan

LAHTI (FINLAND) JULY 15. It rained hard. It was a welcome relief after the warm conditions of the last few days. Maybe the heavens were weeping. For, there was no change in the fortunes of the Indian camp in the 48th World Shooting Championship at the Sports Centre here.

Ronak Pandit, the only Indian left to fight in the championship, had his own problems to tackle in the rapidfire pistol event, in the junior section.

The 17-year-old Ronak, son of the experienced shooter Ashok Pandit, shot a 281 out of 300 at the halfway mark of the competition. He was capable of more, but said that a loose trigger had unnerved him.

The boy realised that something was amiss with his trigger, and it was not firing at the usual pressure during the eight-second series. He called the range officers to present his case just before the six-second series. Ronak had rounds of 47 and 47 for a 94 then.

He had to sit when the others took the six-second series. Then, he was called to shoot all alone, which was a nervous experience in itself.

The twelfth standard student of Jai Hind College in Mumbai, Ronak shot rounds of 46 and 48 for another 94.

Later, in the four-second series, in which you fire at five targets in a row in four seconds, Ronak shot rounds of 43 and a perfect 50 for a 93.

``We have had enough excuses. Let us not keep adding to them'', was the sharp remark of the pistol coach Tibor Gonczol, who had thrown his hands up in desperation the previous day when Jaspal started with a 46 in the "duelling'' session, that had scotched all hopes.

Of course, Ronak was a bit nervous, and perhaps did not check the trigger which had apparently functioned fine during the "sighter'' series.

Ashok Pandit was sitting along with the coaches Gonczol and Prof. Sunny Thomas, and he observed that he always made it a point to check everything before his competitions.

``I can't check his gun because the pressure I use is different. But it is a lesson for Ronak. He needs to concentrate better. Actually, we have yoga and meditation to build our mental strength. We better make use of them'', said Ashok Pandit, quite agitated about his son's inability to capitalise on the stage. At least for the moment.

Though young, Ronak had shown his prowess by clinching the golden badge in the last Commonwealth Championship in Bisley, last year. In the World Cup in Sydney this year, he had finished ninth among the men with a 567, and shot a 566 in the following World Cup in Shanghai. He is the reigning national champion, and had shot a 570 in winning the title, ahead of seasoned campaigners.

Thus, there has been some hope that he would make a mark among the juniors, at least, on the big stage. He had not distinguished himself during the air pistol event, and could possibly hide behind the fact that it was not his main event. But, rapidfire pistol is his pet event, and he did show his class by finishing with a 50 this day.

Actually, it was a chastening experience for him to shoot a 43, with three rounds of eight, a 10 and a 9. That pushed him to shut out the external world, and shoot with an encouraging rhythm. It is the ability to reach that level consistently on the big stage, that differentiates the champion from the rest.

It is a matter of building his temperament to shoot better when he has more time, as is the case in the six and eight-second series as compared to the four-second series. He is learning, but it is better Ronak makes use of the experience of his father.

Of course, it is another matter that Ronak was not in his best form during the trials in Delhi, and thus does not figure in the contingent for the Commonwealth Games.

``I have a personal best score of 577. I have been shooting well here in practice. I was a bit unlucky and may be, a bit nervous. Anyway, tomorrow is another day and I will try to do my best'', said Ronak.

Yes, Ronak better pull his socks up, for a good show on the final day. He has a job on hand if he has to catch up with the leader Martin Behrendt of Germany, who shot a 290.

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