Paris Olympics 'just another tournament' for shooter Sift Kaur

Indian rifle shooter Sift Kaur Samra isn't feeling the pressure on her debut Olympics, instead she is approaching the quadrennial showpiece as just another international competition, and said "just the name of the tournament that changes, not the people or the technique".

Sift, who is currently in her training base in Luxembourg, will compete in women’s 50m rifle 3 positions in Paris Games, starting from July 23 in the French Capital.

The Asian Games gold medallist with a World Record of 469.6, said since the Olympics came after four years which is why it is much bigger than the other normal world cups but for her, it's just another competition, and she will follow the same things she did in previous tournaments and training sessions.

"It's the same; it's just a normal World Cup for us, and we always give our best in the World Cup. This is another tournament where we will give our best. Yes, because it (Olympics) comes every four years, it is much bigger than the other World Cups. But I feel like it's the same people we had in the last World Cup, so it's going to be the same," Sift told IANS.

"I just have to do the same things I did in my previous tournaments and training sessions. It's just the name that changes, not the people or the technique," she added.

When asked about how she feels about her first Olympic appearance and how she trains herself for the mega event, the rifle shooter said. "I think it's great reaching here so it was fun and next also it will be fun."

"It's the same it's like when we had a camp and the schedule given to us so we just followed that," said Sift on her training in the lead up to the Paris Olympics.

In the Paris Games, a 21-member team of shooters will be representing India. The team comprises eight members in Rifle, seven in Pistol, and six in the Shotgun discipline. Of the eight rifle shooters only two -- Aishwary Pratap Tomar and Anjum Mudgil -- have prior experience of competing in an Olympic shooting range.

When asked if she got some tips and advice form the fellow shooter who have been a part Tokyo Olympics, Sift said , "We haven't talked about this" instead she got advice from veterans from other sports -- Saina Nehal (Badminton), Maru Kom (Boxing) and Sania Mirza (Tennis) during a television show.

"But from the different sports I got it, if you have seen there was some show where Sania Mirza and (Saina) Nehwal and Mary Kom gave me a little advice so that was really good."

"One of them was reaching here is not an easy job but I have done that so 'you have to be confident you have to believe in yourself and you will be doing the best'. Another one is, 'you should have that fire to do your best and get something from Paris'.

Speaking about her target in terms of her individual performance, Sift concluded, "I just want that it should not be the same as in the last tournament which I have shot, it should be like one more. I will try to shoot one more point. If it was like 593 so then I will shoot 594 if it's my day. So, let's see, let's check out yeah but this one gonna be my target."