If there is such a thing as a family business when it comes to Olympic shooting, Sergei Evglevski would be an entrepreneur.
His mother, the legendary Lalita Yauhleuskaya, is a six-time Olympian representing both Belarus and Australia, with her crowning moment a Sydney 2000 bronze for Belarus in the 25m pistol event.
While Sergei has forged his own path, medalling at both the Commonwealth Games and shooting World Cup in the 25m rapid fire pistol, he is committed to continuing his family’s Olympic legacy.
“With my family background and growing up in this sport, it's not enough just to be at the Games,” Sergei says.
“For me winning a medal, and more specifically winning the gold medal, is what I've been working for.”
It’s a goal within reach for the Tokyo Olympian.
Three years ago he finished 17th, missing the Olympic final by three points.
This is the equal highest finish by an Australian at the Games in the 25m rapid fire pistol, joining Bruce Quick who finished 17th in the event at both Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
Sergei took that form into 2023, claiming his first World Cup medal with a silver at 25m rapid fire pistol in Indonesia. He narrowly missed the final by one point in the same event at the 2023 World Championships, finishing a career-best 13th.
Off the back of that form, and with his first Olympics behind him, Sergei enters Paris with a new mindset.
“Tokyo was such an interesting experience,” he says.
“I had the mentality that if I do my best I can win.
“I'm still trying to be humble but I'm really trying to be a bit confident in myself as well.”
If there is one thing that could also help Sergei’s mindset in Paris, it is the humble Aussie meat pie.
After posting a training clip on TikTok last year that featured him eating a meat pie, his pie love went viral, and attracted the attention of iconic Aussie brand Four’N Twenty - the Australian team sponsor.
"I remember when I made the very first video in Sydney,” he says.
“It's always awkward to set up a tripod and film yourself with training and I wanted to make a serious video of me training but I'm like, that's not me.
“I was going to get a pie for lunch. I went up to the canteen and got a pie and was like ‘yeah, I'll just record this, throw it in as a random me eating a pie thing,’ and then Four’N Twenty commented and I was surprised. It's the biggest pie brand in the world.”
With a family lineage of success, good form and a few sneaky pies for motivation, Sergei is on target for a strong result in Paris when qualifying for the 25m rapid fire pistol begins at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux.
The men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men's qualification will be held at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux on 4 August at 5pm (AEST).
This article was originally written for The Australian Olympic Team. You can read the published version here
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