By Navneet Singh

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS): Pistol shooter Chinki Yadav had to endure mental agony after she was excluded from the Tokyo Olympic Games squad despite winning a quota place in 2019.

"It is difficult to explain the mental suffering I went through on being dropped from the squad for the Olympics. My gold medal winning performance in the New Delhi World Cup in March [2021] was overlooked. But support from parents has helped me come out of depression," Chinki told IANS from Bhopal.

Last month, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) excluded the pistol shooter from the Tokyo-bound squad and handed her spot to rifle shooter Anjum Moudgil since the quota is for the country and not individual shooter.

NRAI didn't consider Chinki among the best two shooters in 25 metre pistol event, and picked Manu Baker and Rahi Sarnobat ahead of her.

A country can field only two shooters in a discipline.

Moudgil will compete in women's 50m rifle 3 positions.

Chinki said she will not debate NRAI's policy, but feels there should have been room for current performance.

"I was excited to compete in Japan after winning an Olympic berth in the 2019 Asian Shooting Championships in Doha. But 17 months later, my enthusiasm died as I was dropped from the Tokyo Olympic Games team. I should have been told earlier that I'm not eligible to compete in the Olympics," she said.

Chinki, who seems to have overcome disappointment, said she can silence her critics with steady performances in domestic as well as international competitions in future.

"Hard work is the only way out," she said.

"Despite lockdown in Bhopal, elite shooters have been allowed to train at the local shooting ranges. I'm also back to training and working hard," added the international shooter.