She once borrowed rifles to train; now Vidarsa Vinod is heading to Asian Games
Shooter Vidarsa Vinod is preparing for her Asian Games debut after a challenging journey that saw her train with borrowed equipment for years. Her career trajectory shifted significantly after she overcame financial barriers and received encouragement to invest in her own professional gear.
Why it matters
This story highlights the financial hurdles faced by athletes in niche sports and the importance of institutional and personal support systems in achieving elite success.
When Vidarsa K Vinod walked into an NCC shooting trial at her college in Kozhikode in 2018, she wanted to experience what it felt like to hold a rifle. Eight years later, that casual decision has taken the Kerala shooter to the biggest stage of her career. Vinod is set to make her Asian Games debut in Aichi-Nagoya, representing India in the women’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions events.Her journey, however, was anything but straightforward. For years, she trained without owning the equipment needed to compete seriously. She relied on NCC and borrowed rifles, dealt with the financial demands of shooting and even came close to quitting before finally breaking through.She entered shooting almost by chanceAccording to The Indian Express, Vinod had no formal shooting training when she appeared for the NCC trial in 2018.
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