SCOUTING
Rubina Francis was found through a talent hunt organized by Prashant Jain, the Director of Jabalpur Gun For Glory at the St Aloysius Senior Secondary school, in 2015.
After level one talent identification process, the coaches at Gun For Glory found Rubina had rickets, subsequently put her in the para-athlete category. Initially, parents were not keen on a shooting career for their daughter. Her father, a car mechanic, earns a paltry salary, and mum is a nurse. Prashant Jain played a key role in establishing a relationship of trust with the parents, and then he helped the youngster grow in her sports career.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Rubina’s shooting expenses were covered through a scholarship from GNSPF. The foundation also helped her procure a pistol that cost Rs 1.35 Lakh. Walther signed up with GNSPF in 2016 and sponsored three guns to three para-shooters, Rubina became one of the beneficiaries.
RESULTS
- 8 months later, she was able to qualify for the National Championships.
- She shot 352 in the first outing and broke the National Record & was adjudged the National Champion.
- By 2017 she was in the Indian Team. At her first Para-World Cup in Al Ain in UAE, Rubina made a Junior World Record.
- In 2017 she again broke her own National Record and played an International meet in Bangkok.
- In 2017 Rubina joined the Madhya Pradesh State Academy under a fully funded State Sports Programme.
RUBINA FRANCIS
AGE: 20 YEARS
LOCATION: JABALPUR
EVENT: 10-M AIR PISTOL