From becoming India’s first woman World No 1 in pistol shooting to giving a glamorous feel to the sport, Heena Sidhu is a trendsetter. A fruitful year behind her, where she won a Commonwealth Games gold and an Asian Games bronze, the multifaceted shooter is looking forward to qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and feels shooters are being overburdened with a surfeit of national camps. She spoke at length in an interview at the HT Leadership Summit. In 2009, Sidhu won a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup in Beijing.[4]. She won first place in the women’s 10 m air pistol event at the national championship in Kerala.
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Her selection for Olympics turned a controversy when the National Rifle Association surrendered a quota and exchanged it for Heena. As per the ISSF rules, this type of exchange is allowed and as Heena has done well at the Asian Games in Guangzhou and Commonwealth Games in India, she got this chance. There was a talk that the sports ministry did not fund her properly. She was coached by Anatoly Piddubnyi during Olympics.
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- But the determined shooter was able to shake it off soon and aimed for greater heights.
- In 2009, the then 19-year-old Sidhu won a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup in Beijing.
- Her brother is also a shooter in the 10 metre air pistol event.
- But Forbes India 30 Under 30 recognised the achievements of former World No 1 Heena Sidhu, who has made the cut into the elite Forbes India list.
- Her father is an officer with the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department and he always encourages her daughter in her shooting career.
- She has achieved ample of achievements in her sports career till now.
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The high altitude of Mexico City (2,134 m above sea level) helped cause a barrage of world records in track and field events, notably Bob Beamon’s stunning 8.90 m long jump. Her father set up a shooting range in the driveway of their house and it was there that she learnt the tricks. Her uncle also helped in tuning of the equipments in order to make them function at the highest level. “The 10m air pistol final is a blur to me, I couldn’t feel my fingers during that. I have been undergoing physiotherapy for visit site this problem but for today, I told my physio not to touch me. I just let it be and to my relief it went off well,” she said. Sidhu began shooting in 2006, participating in the national junior and senior teams.
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Sidhu, is the Finals World record holder in 10 metre air pistol event with a final score of 203.8. In 2013, Sidhu received a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. Her brother is also a shooter in the 10 metre air pistol event.
Heena has completed her studies in dental medicine and is a doctor. It was only when she was picked for the London Olympics in 2012 that things turned serious. Sidhu had completed her degree in dentistry and could have easily set up a clinic. “I guess I was attracted to dentistry and shooting because of the precision both roles require.
