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Target confirmed: Shooting prodigy Anish Bhanwala relieved after winning World Cup medals
Vinayak Padmadeo
New Delhi, March 8
One could sense relief in Anish Bhanwala's voice over the phone. The shooting prodigy has finally bagged a medal at an ISSF World Cup. The 19-year-old won one gold and one silver at the Cairo World Cup that concluded on Tuesday.
I get the criticism. In a way it is fair as well. I was doing very well in the junior categories, both in India and abroad...I think I had participated in nine senior ISSF competitions before here and had very little to show for it. I remember making only two or three finals and I did not win. Even though these medals came in team events, it will certainly give me a lot of confidence going forward Anish Bhanwala
Bhanwala burst onto the scene by winning the 25m rapid fire pistol gold medal in the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney as a 15-year-old in 2018. Since then, he has been touted as India's next big shooter. But Bhanwala had near misses at the senior World Cups after qualifying for the finals on three occasions.
However, the Cairo World Cup turned out to be momentous outing for the teenager. Karnal's Bhanwala won gold in the 25m rapid fire pistol mixed team event partnering Faridabad's Rhythm Sangwan. He also won silver in the 25m rapid fire pistol men's team event alongside Gurpreet Singh and Bhavesh Shekhawat.
Bhanwala said that he would have been happier had he done well in the individual events, but winning his first two senior ISSF medals would go a long way in restoring his confidence.
"You can say winning these medals was a big relief for me," Bhanwala told The Tribune over phone from Cairo on Tuesday.
"I think I had participated in nine senior ISSF competitions before here and had very little to show for it. I remember making only two or three finals and I did not win. Even though these medals came in team events, it will certainly give me a lot of confidence going forward," he added.
Fair criticism
The pressure of making the cut at the senior level, where he had to outperform many accomplished international shooters, had Bhanwala struggling for answers. He also faced other issues, including a change in his personal coaching staff.
Those struggles had many in the shooting community questioning whether the boy wonder had the temperament to stand on his two feet in the international arena. Bhanwala said that he understood the criticism, adding that the leap was not that easy.
"I get the criticism. In a way it is fair as well. I was doing very well in the junior categories, both in India and abroad. In my personal opinion results are not guaranteed once you start shooting with the established stars," he said.
"I will tell you from my personal experience that I was virtually guaranteed a place in the final of junior competitions after shooting average scores. This is not the case when we are shooting in the senior category. One has to be upwards of 580 to stay in contention. Besides, there is always pressure to perform," he added.