Aashima Ahlawat set for maiden Asian Games shooting appearance in Aichi Nagoya
On 16 September 2026, 22-year-old Aashima Ahlawat of Rohtak, Haryana, was set to make her maiden appearance at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya. The shotgun shooter began her international rise after a four-year progression from taking up the sport at 18.
Ahlawat initially picked up a pistol at 18 before switching to shotgun once she fulfilled a condition she made with her mother to secure admission to her preferred college; she achieved 98.6% in her Class 12 board exams. Coming from a family involved in construction, she credits watching the 2018 Commonwealth Games for sparking her ambition: “Seeing Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu on that stage, I remember thinking, I want to feel that someday,” Ahlawat said.
Her pursuit required significant family sacrifice; Ahlawat said, “My mother didn’t just give me permission, she gave up a lot for it,” and added, “She moved from Rohtak to Delhi and shifted our family business just so I could train properly. That’s not something I take lightly.” Procuring a shotgun and ammunition proved difficult early on, taking nearly eight months to sort out.
Ahlawat described a development mindset that goes beyond medals: “A medal is not the only thing that tells you how far you’ve come,” she said, and she added, “If something doesn’t go right, I look for the mistake, fix it, and come back stronger.” That approach was tested at the 2024 World Championships in Peru during her last junior year, where a miscalculation cost her the final target and left her fourth, but she returned weeks later to win bronze and record a personal best at the World University Championships in Delhi.
She attributes much of her recent progress to support from the National Rifle Association of India. “NRAI has made things so much easier for shooters like me, the camps, the competitions, and even something as basic as steady access to ammunition,” she said. “People outside the sport don’t realise it, but it changes everything.” She also added, “The exposure I have got through NRAI camps these last two years, I don’t think I would have grown this fast without it.”
On managing the psychological demands of competition, Ahlawat described a simple pre-shot routine: “I focus on my breathing, and honestly, I just play a random song on loop in my head at the station,” she said. With Aichi Nagoya imminent she is keeping her focus local and immediate: “My plan is target by target. I don’t want to think about the medal the whole time, I just want to stay present and enjoy the process,” she said.
Ahlawat has stated clear objectives beyond the Asian Games: “The next big goal for me is to make the team again, earn an Olympic quota, and give my best at the Olympics. That’s the dream I’m chasing now.” She will compete at the Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya as she pursues those next milestones.
