- Kishmala Talat, the first Pakistani woman to qualify for Olympic shooting, aims to win Pakistan’s first female Olympic medal in the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events at the Paris Games.
- Talat trains 10 hours a day and meditates for focus. Supported by the military, she has won numerous medals, including Pakistan’s first shooting medal at the Asian Games.
- Talat aims to inspire Pakistani girls to pursue their dreams despite societal taboos, with her mother encouraging diligent work and familial support.
21-year-old Kishmala Talat is Pakistan’s first Olympic markswoman who aims to make history by winning an Olympic medal at pistol events. Slowing her breath and focusing on the bullseye in her pistol’s sights, Talat will compete in the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events at the Paris Games starting on July 26 seeking to bring glory abroad and challenge societal norms back home.
Despite Pakistan’s promising talent pool, cultural modesty codes often dissuade women from participating in sports.
Talat, a 21-year-old from a military family, is breaking these barriers as the first Pakistani woman to qualify for Olympic shooting. “In Pakistan, there’s a prevalent taboo that dictates girls should stay at home, do girly things, and play with dolls, while boys are to play with guns,” Talat shared. “I see no one as competition. I compete with myself,” she said at a target range in the eastern city of Jhelum.
Talat’s journey is marked by numerous achievements, including dozens of national medals and four international ones. She made history by winning Pakistan’s first shooting medal, a bronze, at the Asian Games last year. However, Pakistan has only won 10 Olympic medals, all by men, with the last one being in 1992.
With a fresh degree in communications, Talat acknowledges the challenging path ahead. Her global rankings stand at 37th in the 10m event and 41st in the 25m, as per the International Shooting Sport Federation. “I longed for recognition. I wanted to do more,” she said.
Talat wanted that whenever shooting is discussed, or ‘Kishmala’ is mentioned, it would be associated with someone who did something great for Pakistan.
Rigorous Training Regime
Talat’s rigorous training regime includes 10 hours a day: one hour of physical exercise, four hours each on the 10m and 25m ranges, and an evening hour of meditating by candlelight to sharpen her focus. “I am dedicated to giving my best performance to let Pakistan’s name shine,” she said.
Target shooting is uncommon in Pakistan, where cricket dominates and all sports suffer from underfunding.
Her shooting stance, with a spare hand in her pocket and one eye covered by custom-fit glasses, reflects her intense concentration. Target shooting is uncommon in Pakistan, where cricket dominates and all sports suffer from underfunding. However, guns are ubiquitous, with nearly 44 million legal or illicit firearms in civilian hands, according to a 2017 estimate by the Small Arms Survey.
Talat’s talent has been fostered by Pakistan’s military, the sixth-largest in the world, which supports sports through various facilities. Trained by military officers and a foreign coach at a Jhelum facility, Talat hails from the garrison city of Rawalpindi, home to the military’s headquarters.
Her 53-year-old mother, Samina Yaqoob, a major in the military’s nursing service, proudly displays Talat’s medals. Yaqoob once dreamt of competing herself. “I got married and got busy with that life, but it makes me happy when I see my daughter move forward with my dream,” she said. “Girls should step forward, observe, work diligently, and their parents should support them. She believes she can do anything. That’s just who she is.”
As Talat heads to Paris, she not only aims for an Olympic medal but also hopes to inspire Pakistani girls to pursue their dreams against all odds.
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