As much as she sizzles in the international arena with her spell-binding mastery of rapid fire shooting with the sports pistol, Olympian and Asian Games gold medallist Rahi Sarnobat can be stunning with the depth of her thoughts.
A voracious reader who juggles four books at a time, the 30-year-old Rahi has meticulously taken notes of all her experiences over the years, to be best prepared for any situation.
Having been trained by top coaches like Anatolii Piddubnyi and Munkhbayar Dorjsuren, Rahi prefers to be in her “personal space” at the moment in the last stretch of Olympic preparation in Croatia, especially in the absence of high performance coach Samaresh Jung.
“We have to be prepared for all situations. We have to perform on our own. I do discuss with professional psychologists. I get to know that I am on the right track. I know the mistakes, problems and the pattern. I keep rating myself on my mental ability,” revealed Rahi.
Precautions
Having recovered from COVID after the last World Cup in Delhi in March, when she won an individual silver behind compatriot Chinki Yadav, Rahi has made it a point to pack herself with adequate precautions.
“I am carrying a steamer. I am carrying spices. That is, Ayurvedic ingredients for preparing kadha. I hope not to be infected again. I am also carrying an oximeter and infrared thermometer,” said Rahi during a media interaction organised by Sports Authority of India (SAI).
She was categorical that pressure was important for peak performance.
“I want some pressure. I like the feeling of responsibility. More than the media or people, we have expectations from ourselves. It brings out the best in me. I am pretty sure that the expectations will be fulfilled as our young team has been brilliant.”
She keeps it simple about the final stretch.
“As athletes, we should stick to our routine. We can’t take things for granted. We have to keep working hard and spend time in a productive way. It will help us crack these Games,” Rahi said.
