A 78-year-old Indian woman is believed to be the world’s oldest female professional sharpshooter. Chandro Tomar has entered and won over 25 national championships across India as well as raising six children and 15 grandchildren. “I wanted to do something useful with my life and show people my capabilities,” the Daily Mail quoted her as saying. “As soon as I shot my first pistol I was hooked. And now I’ve shown everyone there’s no disadvantages to my age. If you’re focused you can do anything,” she said. Almost ten years ago Tomar took her granddaughter to a local firing range in Johri village, in Uttar Pradesh, India. She wanted to learn a new skill but was too shy to go alone. In the end it was Tomar who was welcomed into the club with open arms. “As I was waiting around I decided to have a go. The coach spotted me and was amazed at my aim. “He told me to come back so I did. Initially I was just supporting my granddaughter but I enjoyed it so much it became a passion and I looked forward to going to the club every week,” she said. While Tomar tended to her daily chores on her farm and raised her family, she practiced her aim whenever she could using stones and throwing them at water bottles. “I was surprised when I saw a pensioner in our group but she picked it up pretty quickly,” the club’s coach, Farooq Pathan, who set up the shooting club with two friends in 1998, said. “She was so good some of the men stopped turning up altogether to avoid being humiliated by her, an old woman. She has the ultimate skill, a steady hand and a sharp eye,” he said. Now she’s a national treasure, known throughout India for her skill, even winning gold at the Veteran Shooting Championship held in Chennai.
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