NEW DELHI:
Abhinav Bindra, an Olympic gold medallist, acknowledges that Indian shooters had the potential to secure additional medals at the Paris Games. Nevertheless, he maintains that their performance is commendable and deserving of pride.
The Indian contingent amassed a total of six medals, with shooting contributing three of them.
Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first post-Independence Indian athlete to achieve two podium finishes in a single Olympic edition.
In addition to her individual bronze medal in the women's 10m air pistol event, Manu partnered with
Sarabjot Singh to secure another bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol competition.
India's medal tally in shooting was further bolstered by Swapnil Kusale's bronze-winning performance in the 50m rifle 3 positions event final in Paris.
"There have been misses, but everyone has fought well," Bindra told Jio Cinema, as quoted by PTI.
"Outcomes are important, but more than that, it's about seeing how you've improved as a nation in terms of performance. If you look at those elements, we've performed better than before. We'd like to see more conversions to medals, but we have a lot to be proud of," he said.
Bindra commended Manu for resolving her differences with coach Jaspal Rana and collaborating effectively to achieve her goals.
"He (Rana) is a treasure trove of knowledge, a hard taskmaster and that's a good thing. I had coaches I loved and ones I severely disliked but found a way to work with them."
"I credit Manu for having patched up with Jaspal after a difficult couple of years, which is normal in a coach-athlete relationship. Athletes are sensitive people and when we're under pressure, that sensitivity heightens," he explained.
Bindra, the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist in shooting, praised Manu's performance at the Paris Olympics, describing her journey as a tale of perseverance and determination.
"She's taught everyone about resilience, how to sail well, and bounce back from disappointment. The greatest moment was when she finished qualification on day one, I saw a picture of hers and she didn't have a smile on her face. That told me she was going to do well," he said.
Bindra said Kusale's focus on his preparations was the standout factor.
"He was very strategic in his preparation. A lot of athletes made the long trip from Chateauroux to Paris for the opening ceremony, but Swapnil decided not to. He seemed to be a very self-aware athlete, he knew where his body and mind were," he said.
"He didn't want to let go of energy, something he needed for competition. Sometimes, that's the difference between coming back with a medal or not," Bindra added.
Bindra, however, admitted only time will heal Arjun Babuta's wounds who finished fourth in men's 10m air rifle event.
"I spoke to him before and after the event, he was disappointed, but he was already looking ahead. He'll need a little bit of time to come to terms with a fourth-place finish, but that's life, that's what sports is all about," Bindra said.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!