'Will be off social media': Sift Kaur Samra vows to avoid past mistakes, to limit mobile use during Olympics and Asian Games

New Delhi: Sift Kaur Samra was India’s leading prospect in women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris Olympics. She had gone to Paris after becoming India’s first gold medallist in 50m rifle 3P at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, encompassing both individual and team events for men and women.

Her Olympic journey, however, came to an end during the qualification phase. With a disappointing score of 575 in qualification, Sift finished 31st.The world record holder in 50m rifle 3P from Punjab’s Faridkot has now committed to avoiding past mistakes at future competitions, including the Los Angeles Games in 2028, pledging to abstain from social media and mobile phone usage during events. “The more you get into the social media things and start reacting to them, the more confused and pressurised you become.

There was so much chatter around during the Olympics time and I was actually so engrossed into it.

This time I have decided that I will stay away from any kind of social media and my mobile at the time of important tournaments, including the Olympics. I’ll be completely off social media for months,” Sift told TOI.

“Paris was an eye-opener for me. I just couldn’t realise for a while what actually happened at the Games. Everyone was talking about the Olympics and that Sift was a sure-shot medal winner. So much frenzy and excitement made me nervous during my competition. The pressure did me in,” Sift added.