New Delhi, November 1:  Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist shooter Heena Sidhu on Thursday said the sport has come a long way and it is great to see the popularity of shooting growing in the country. "Shooting has come a long way. There used to be a time at the shooting range where I used to turn on the lights early in the morning. Now when I go to the range at 8 in the morning, I find at least 8-10 people over there," Heena said at the CNBC-TV18 Young Turks conclave here. "Sports has now become a part of our culture. It's great to see and know that there are a lot of youngsters taking up sports these days," she added. Heena Sidhu Wins Bronze in Women's 10m Air Pistol Shooting Event at Asian Games 2018, Medal Tally Shoots Up To 23!

Heena said its good to see a change in the mindset of the parents when it comes to their children choosing to take up sports as a serious career choice. "Parents used to always push their kids towards a more academical profession since it offered their child a better sense of emotional and financial security. Now sports has become a serious career option and parents are enrolling their kids into academies," she said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 02, 2018 09:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).