Chateauroux, July 30 : The years of hard work finally paid off, said Sarabjot Singh's coach Abhishek Rana, after his protege bagged his maiden Olympic medal on Tuesday.

Sarabjot, who was competing in his debut Olympics, partnered with Manu Bhaker in 10m Air Pistol mixed team event, to win the bronze medal, beating South Korea 16-10.

"It's a wonderful moment. Years of hard work have paid off today. While we didn't get the gold, earning a bronze medal is a valuable new experience. From here, we will begin a new journey and aim to win gold in the next Olympics," Rana told broadcasters after the match.

Last year, Sarabjot won the gold medal in 10m Air Pistol men's team event and a silver medal in mixed team at the Asian Games in China. He also won multiple medals in the international stage across junior and senior level.

/IANS