In a groundbreaking achievement, 19-year-old Raiza Dhillon from Haryana secured India’s 18th ticket to the Paris Olympics 2024 by winning a silver medal in Women’s Skeet Shooting. The historic feat was accomplished at the Asia Olympic Qualification in Kuwait City on January 20.

Dhillon’s remarkable journey into skeet shooting began with her fascination for her great-grandfather’s guns in her hometown near Karnal, Haryana. Her father, Ravijit Singh Dhillon, shared that Raiza, inspired by her family’s legacy of gun ownership, expressed a keen interest in holding a real gun from a young age.

The young athlete’s mother, Gul Dhillon, who served as the Sarpanch of the Panchkula village in Karnal, played a crucial role in encouraging Raiza to pursue her passion for sports and dance. Despite concerns about potential injuries, Gul supported Raiza’s determination to continue skeet shooting as she grew older.

Raiza’s journey involved starting with a 10m rifle and attending camps across India, including the prestigious Gagan Narang Shooting Academy in Pune. Over time, she progressed to handling more advanced rifles. Her mother recalled the initial worries about gun recoil, evident in black marks on Raiza’s right cheek, but the family never deterred her from pursuing her passion.

Travelling weekly by train to train with her coach, Amrinder Singh Cheema in Patiala and Ludhiana, Raiza displayed exceptional dedication. In the two months leading up to the Olympic qualifiers, she relocated to her coach’s village for intensive training. Raiza’s commitment to her sport has seen her participate in and triumph at multiple international championships.

Last year, she secured the title of junior national champion and claimed a silver medal at the ISSF Junior World Championships in Changwon, Korea. Additional accolades included a silver at the Asian Junior Championship in Changwon and another silver at the nationals in Goa.

During the Asia Olympic Qualification, Raiza maintained her dominance throughout the qualifiers but ultimately secured the silver medal in the 60-shot final, with China’s Jinmei Gao clinching gold. Raiza’s achievement marks her as the first Indian to qualify for Women’s Skeet Shooting at the Paris Olympics, bringing pride not only to her family but to the entire nation.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The shethepeople