We welcomed back Olympics bound, István Péni to our ELEY Test Range.
During his visit, István gave us an insight into his shooting sports background as well as plans for the future!
István has won 59 International medals in his career, as he looks to win gold in Paris this summer.
Our objective was to match the perfect batches of ELEY Tenex to his barrels, giving István the best opportunities to consistently be on the podium.
1. Welcome back István ! Firstly, please tell us why you are here and the importance behind testing?
“Shooting is partly a technical sport, therefore it’s crucial that we put focus on the quality of our equipment, especially the ammunition. Every barrel is individual and we must find the best matching ammo during the testing, that we later get high results and the small shot groups in competitions. In a sport where accuracy decides the winner, the ammunition is a key factor in our success”.
2. How did you get into shooting sports?
“Despite both of my parents being professional shooters, I didn’t have a straightforward path into the sport, as they didn’t really support the idea of me to becoming a shooter as well – However, I was always into shooting. I played football from the age of 4, although when I turned 11, I had a knee injury which caused me to have a break in my training. During this period, my father finally gave into my wish and took me to my first shooting training. Since then, I’ve been dedicated to the sport, visiting the range daily!”
3. Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of sports?
“I love to spend my time in the nature – Hunting and fishing are my main hobbies. I also like to spend my time with friends and to do other sports”.
4. Please tell us about your last 12 months and your build up to the summer ahead in Paris?
“I have been competing a lot during the last 12 months, to make sure I secured a quota place for the Olympic Games. This meant that I was traveling to all competitions, where I could collect ranking points. Since securing my quota place from the European Championships earlier this year, I don’t want to do anything else, a part from focussing on my preparation and to set my peak shape for the Olympics”.
5. What does your daily routine currently look like?
“I spend approximately 30-40 hours weekly shooting. Usually, I start my days at 7:30am in the gym, where I have an hour-long physical training session. We mostly do exercises with body weight and we put bigger attention on the coordination, balance, and core muscles. From around 10am, I start my shooting training that often last till around 6 pm. I just finished my Bachelor’s degree in Economics, so until the Games I don’t take or intend to take any extra obligations. After Olympics however, I will probably start my Master’s in Finance. I find it important to always take some time to improve in other fields – It’s also beneficial for shooting and mental health when we have more goals in life”.
6. What are your plans for the off season?
“I honestly can’t wait for a long holiday! I would like to travel somewhere with my partner, and to spend a lot of time with my friends. I believe the majority of August / September will be free, post the games, therefore I will also have some time to go for some hunting and fishing trips.
7. What is your most cherished medal so far?
“Wow – that is hard to say – I think my first European Championship gold medal from 2020. It was the result of a perfect built-up, preparation and competition. Also, this year my silver medal at the European Championships felt like that. Actually, I cherish all my medals as they all have a story behind them”.
8. Does your training for 10m to 50m vary in any way?
“50m requires more training as it is not only one position like in 10m (standing), but 3 (kneeling, prone and standing). Each position has its own technique that we need to try and master”.
9. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gained?
“That the competition is over when the last shot has been made. I found myself many times in a position where the competition didn’t start in the way I would hope it would, yet in the end I turned out to be the winner. If I would start to think about it and lose hope, I would have never made those medals. In shooting sports, it is vital that you focus on the present shot. Everything else should be closed out – Of course, following through and doing the correct steps from the very beginning till the end, according to the learnt techniques”.
10. Lastly, please rank the top five priorities currently in your life?
– Private Life
– Shooting!
– Mental and Physical Health
– Education
– Career Development
