Thiruvananthapuram: Sidhartha Babu from Kerala is all enthusiastic about shooting to glory. Representing the nation, the brave man from Thiruvananthapuram is to participate in the differently-abled Tokyo Olympics 2020.
The former Karate National Champion and Kickboxer Sidhartha had a brush with death in the form of a car accident but he was determined in spirit. He had to remain in the bed stunned for a year, also lost his ability to move.
From then, Siddhartha erased his pain with victories from hardships. The initial step was to kindle his passion for shooting and leaving his Karate behind. He became State Champion competing with general shooters, later won National Shooting Championship in differently-abled category. Again, his courage brought him to the Tokyo Paralympics by succeeding in Para Shooting Championship held in Australia.
“I am very excited. It is an honour to represent the nation and it is my first step towards achieving my dream. It is a prestigious event,” says Sidhartha. It is for the first time that Sidhartha is representing the country in Paralympics. He had relied on his old rifle for his stint at the Para World Shooting Championship in Sydney. But the Olympic event calls for better equipment, accessories and training. “My new rifle is arriving, but I need to get new accessories as well,” says Sidhartha.
With just 288 days remaining for the 2020 Paralympics, he hopes to get international standard training. The only training he has ever undergone is under Olympic champion Sergei Martinov, when he got the opportunity for two weeks in 2018. “I want to train under coach Sergei Martinov ahead of the championship,” says Sidhartha.
The state government is also providing economic assistance to help him participate in more tournaments.
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