10 things you need to know about Olympic winner Swapnil Kusale
Swapnil Kusale’s journey from a small village to the global stage is a testament to his unwavering dedication, hard work, and the support of his family.
Swapnil Kusale, who recently made his mark on the Olympic stage, after winning the Bronze medal in the Men's 50m rifle 3 positions , has a story that is both inspiring and heartwarming. Hailing from Kambalwadi village near Kolhapur in Maharashtra, Kusale's journey to the top has been anything but easy.
Born into a family dedicated to education and public service, Swapnil's father and brother are teachers at a district school, while his mother serves as the sarpanch of their village. Despite their modest means, the Kusale family always prioritized the 29-year-old's dreams.
His passion for shooting began at the age of 14 when he enrolled in a residential school through an initiative by the Maharashtra government. This opportunity sparked his interest in the sport, setting him on a path toward excellence.
In 2015, after joining the Indian Railways as a ticket collector, he saved his first six months’ salary to buy his first rifle, which cost over ₹3 lakhs. His dedication and hard work paid off when he won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2017, prompting his father to buy him a second rifle worth over ₹8 lakhs.
However, the road to success was fraught with financial challenges. During his early days, Swapnil struggled to afford bullets, which cost around ₹120 each. His father had to take a bank loan to support his son's training and aspirations. “I had to be very careful while shooting because we couldn’t afford many bullets. I didn’t have a lot of equipment; it was a bit of a restrictive set-up,” Swapnil recalled in an interview.
At the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou in 2023, Swapnil, along with teammates Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Akhil Sheoran, won the gold medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions team event, setting a world record with 1769 points. This victory was a testament to his perseverance and skill.
Competing internationally since 2012, Swapnil had to wait another 12 years to make his Olympic debut at the Paris Games. A first-time Olympian, Swapnil secured a quota place for the Paris 2024 Olympics by finishing fourth in the 50m rifle 3 positions at the 2022 World Championship in Cairo, Egypt. His accomplishments also include three medals at the 2022 World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan: one gold and two silvers.
An ardent fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former Indian cricket captain, Kusale has watched his biopic numerous times. In a delightful coincidence, Kusale, just like Dhoni, works as a ticket collector for the Indian Railways.
Despite his lactose intolerance, Swapnil’s mother, Anita, ensures he gets his favorite meal, bhakri and methi sabzi, whenever he returns home. "He can have it three times a day and that’s what he would ask us on his return to celebrate the medal,” his mother said in an interview.