Shooting for new heights Sandhu siblings two of four Manitobans heading to Pan Am Youth Championships By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 8:52 PM CDT Wednesday, May. 13, 2026

It’s become evident that Khushreet and Laganjot Sandhu hit the bullseye when choosing which sport they would dedicate themselves to for the foreseeable future.

The Winnipeg siblings haven’t been in Archery very long — Khushreet started three years ago, Laganjot two — but there’s a consensus that they are both on a rocket ship trajectory up the local, national, and possibly global ranks.

“I just kind of got into the rhythm, and I really fell in love with it,” said 12-year-old Laganjot, who was drawn to a bow and arrow shortly after watching his sister. “But also on the competitive side, I really wanted to get better than my sister at it.”

It doesn’t matter if it’s their studies or in sports, the siblings are as competitive as it gets, and it’s fostered some tremendous individual success.

Laganjot is the two-time reigning national U13 indoor compound champion. He now shoots up an age group with the under-15-year-olds, and is already ranked third in the country. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Khushreet has broken records for the U15, U18 and U21 age groups and is currently the top-ranked compound female athlete in Canada, regardless of age.

For as much competition as they have, there’s also a love for seeing each other improve. The Sandhu’s have always been close.

“I’ve learned a lot,” said Laganjot. “I’ve learned how to do things on my own from her.”

Khushreet added: “It’s definitely reassuring to have my brother by my side in high-pressure tournaments. I just look, and I’m like, ‘I shoot with him every day, so this is no different.’

“It makes it easier for me to calm down in tough situations.”

The siblings are sure to lean on each other later this month, as they head to the 2026 Pan American Youth Championships in Medellín, Colombia. The competition, which features four Manitobans in total, goes from May 22–28.

Laganjot (U15 Compound) and Khushreet (U18 Compound) will be joined by another pair of bright up-and-comers in Acadia Flockton (U18 Compound) and Bailey Mathers (U21 Compound).

Flockton is the reigning Canadian indoor and outdoor champion in the U18 compound discipline, and is currently ranked third nationally. Meanwhile, Mathers boasts a wealth of experience on the international stage and will shoot in this tournament for the third time.

Manitoba’s head target team coach Sean Murray said the quartet represents a growing crop of young talent in the province.

“They put in a lot of extra work that certain kids don’t. Fundamental skills and talents are great things, but if you don’t have the drive and determination to do the work necessary to maintain it, you don’t really have long-term success in the sport,” Murray said. “All of these athletes, and especially the four that are going to Pan Am, they put in a significant amount of worth above and beyond what we ask in the program.”

The Sandhu siblings in particular are on a rigid training schedule that has them shooting almost every day so they don’t lose the feel for their shot. They’re even following a workout and diet plan.

Rest assured, they love every second of it.

“They’re very mature beyond their age,” Murray said. “The way I speak — like the mental side of things — for some kids, you’d say, ‘Oh, 13 years old, that’s too young,’ but once you know kind of where they are, it’s a little bit different.”

Murray has worked with the siblings since he became the provincial coach one year ago. With Khushreet, whom he had known about for a couple of years before teaming up with her, Murray quickly realized that he would need to take an advanced approach to his role.

“She’s a very technically good shooter, like not too many fundamental issues with her shooting,” he said. “What I’m starting to bring to the table more is helping her with the mental side of sport and how to start dealing with some of these expectations and stuff like that. A lot of the time, with really good athletes, technical ability only gets you so far, and then it’s how we deal with certain situations.”

Murray described both Kurshreet and Flockton as Olympic hopefuls for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The path they’ve already travelled and the one Murray believes they’re headed down are telling signs that they will be in the mix in two years.

“That’s kind of what I’ve been training for, because I just want to get myself to a level where I know what I need to do, and I just want to be up there,” Khushreet said. “I know that’s a bit much to say, but it’s what I train for. I just want to stay in the sport for a long time, and by doing that, I want to have good achievements throughout, too.”

Laganjot, who hopes he’s not far behind, is also aiming to be on the grandest stages one day.

winnipegfreepress.com/joshuafreysam