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3 min readJun 20, 2026 12:13 AM IST
Sameer Gulia with coach Rajesh Kumar after winning the junior world championship men’s 25m rapid pistol title in Suhl, Germany. Special arrangement
Upon becoming the world junior champion in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol on Friday, Sameer Gulia’s first thoughts were about his gun’s grip. A couple of years ago, Jaspal Rana had advised the Haryana shooter to get his grip changed from Germany. Last week, Rana breathed his last and the 19-year-old chose to dedicate his maiden world title to the legendary coach.
“Jaspal Rana sir was the guiding force for all juniors in the Indian team in recent years and earlier too. Every time I shot with this gun, his motivating words, ‘Aur mehnat kar Sameer beta aur dhyan na bhatkana’ (Work harder and don’t let your focus waver) would ring in my ears,” Gulia tells The Indian Express after triumphing at the ISSF World Junior Championships in Suhl, Germany.
An only child, Gulia grew up in Purkhas village near Sonepat, eyeing his mother Anita Devi’s medals at home. Devi, who became the 25m pistol national champion in 2013, quit shooting to concentrate on making her son an international star. In 2016, she got Sameer a 10m air pistol and would take him to train at Delhi’s Karni Singh Shooting Range.
Sameer Gulia in action. (ISSF screengrab)
With Covid-19 in 2020 causing shutdown of ranges and academies for some time, Devi built a 25m range in their village with INR 5 lakh from their savings to get her son to train for 25m pistol events too.
Gulia had qualified for the final on Friday after finishing seventh in qualification. The teenager produced a spectacular display from there on to clinch the title, ahead of France’s Arnaud Gamaleri.
“There was a bit of pressure when I started but then as I gained my rhythm, I grew in confidence. This is my penultimate year in juniors and I would aim for another world title next year, apart from senior titles,” says Gulia.
Last year, Gulia finished 35th in the World Championships in Cairo. With the junior world title on Friday under the new format of eight-shooter final, national coach Rajesh Kumar sees Gulia emerging stronger in coming months. “Sameer has focused a lot on the 25m pistol in recent years. He has gained height and the main target for us was to adjust to his posture as well grip to the increasing body frame and wrists,” says coach Rajesh Kumar.
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Meanwhile, 16-year-old Rohit Kanyan won the title in the men’s 50m rifle 3P final later on Friday evening, while 18-year-old Prachi Gaikwad claimed the silver in women’s 50m Rifle 3P final.
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