Eight Months Pregnant & A Champion: Rifle Shooter Meghana Sajjanar

Rifle shooter Meghana Sajjanar won a Bronze medal in the women's 10m rifle event at the Asian Shooting Championship in New Delhi. But her win is not just about standing on the podium; it is about making a statement of courage, discipline, and determination, as she achieved this eight months into her pregnancy. 

Defying Expectations in Competitive Shooting

To many athletes, pregnancy is a sign to bow out from the world stage for a while. It seems to be a time used for rest, retreat, and stepping back from the world of sports.

Meghana Sajjanar, however, decided to step onto the firing range when others would slow down for the sake of the journey to come.

Meghana proved her mettle with a notable qualifying score of 628.6, followed by a winning score of 229.5 in the finals. While the win spoke for itself, the real hallmark was the incredible physical and mental endurance she showed in the process.

Being pregnant, improvising every step of the way

Being a sharp shooter calls for perfect balance, utmost stability, and incredible accuracy. Pregnancy changes your normal stance, breathing patterns, and alters the centre of gravity, thus making the athlete walk into unfamiliar terrain. Meghana made drastic changes in all aspects of her training.

She adjusted her shooting jacket, her stance, and relied more on technique than brute strength. In each practice session, there was a mini-lesson in refinement: to tweak, to pause, to grow acutely aware of the present moment.

But in the midst of all these hurdles, she remained calm under fire, another attribute of her iron dedication.

Mental Strength and Focus Under Pressure

Upon receiving the coveted honour, however, Meghana spoke to the Times of India about how far the road had been from easy. There were times when physical pain seized her up in knots, or she had to steady herself and quiet her mind to feel the kicks of her baby. 

Yet she stayed centred with her breath, kept her thoughts razor-sharp, and trusted completely in her training that she could do her best.

Her composure under pressure during the race also demonstrated a rather uncommon mental toughness that characterises a great athlete rather than a good one. It was not just a test of her skills; it was also a test of her emotional strength and psychological hardness.

Support System Behind the Success

Meghana's coach, Rakesh Manpat, highlighted that in this period, "she had to almost relearn her shooting". As her body was changing, the little modifications in technique were required.

She also received valuable guidance and care from both her medical team and physiotherapists, not only as an athlete but as a person.

Equally important was her family backing her through this, for she wanted to participate. Because of this support system around her, Meghana could finally take time for the sport she loves.