High Schooler Takes Second Shot at Junior Olympics Gold

One year after standing on the podium with a silver medal, a Massachusetts high school senior is heading back to the U.S. Olympic Training Center with unfinished business.

Ammar Bagasra, 18, will compete in the Junior Olympics on April 14 in Colorado Springs, this time moving up to the U21 division. He'll shoot in both the 10-meter air pistol and 25-meter pistol events, hoping to earn a spot in the top three overall scores across all age groups.

The Concord-Carlisle High School senior started shooting at age 8 in his family's basement range. His mother Nisreen introduced him to the sport after competing herself at the 2016 World Cup and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

"She believes that when you hear something from a coach who is not your parent, you learn it better," Bagasra said. For the past six years, coach Louis Matnog has helped him develop the self-discipline and focus that precision shooting demands.

The mental game might be even harder than the physical one. Shooters must repeat identical movements for over an hour while maintaining perfect control, even when mistakes happen.

The physical challenge is no joke either. Holding a pistol steady requires constant engagement of small stabilizing muscles while controlling breathing and heart rate.

That's where Bagasra's other sport comes in. He's been on the varsity wrestling team since freshman year and qualified for the state tournament this season at 150 pounds.

Wrestling dropped his resting heart rate to 55 beats per minute and built the cardio strength he needs at Colorado's high altitude. Last year at the competition, he passed out from the elevation but recovered quickly with food and water.

Why This Inspires

Bagasra won't compete alone. As team captain, he'll support his Massachusetts teammates through their first Junior Olympics experience, showing that excellence and encouragement can coexist.

After graduation, he plans to study economics and finance at Tufts University while starting a pistol club on campus. But his bigger target remains crystal clear: qualifying for the 2028 U.S. Olympic trials.

From a basement range to the Olympic Training Center, this young shooter proves that patient practice and steady aim can hit any target.