Ordinarily one would expect the demands of marriage to have an effect on the form of a newly-wed athlete, especially in a sport as onerous as shooting. In Heena Sidhu’s case, however, marriage has only made her a better shooter — the latest example of this being Heena’s recent first-place finish above World Cup gold medallist Rahi Sarnobat in the women’s air pistol event at the ongoing National shooting selection trials in New Delhi.


Goldfingers: Ashok Pandit (left) with his son Ronak and daughter-in-law Heena Sidhu at Worli's Maharashtra Rifle Association shooting range before they left for the shooting trials in New Delhi. Pic/Atul Kamble 

Perhaps, the 24-year-old’s marriage last year (February, 2013) into the renowned Pandit family — comprising husband, Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ronak Pandit, who also doubles up as her coach, and father-in-law, Arjuna award-winning shooter Ashok Pandit — has helped. At the ongoing selection trials, Ronak finished ninth in the 25m air pistol event while Ashok is participating in the centrefire pistol event.