E-Paper
Jaspal is Asiad's best athlete
He is the first Indian sportsperson to bag the honour, reports S Kannan.
Pistol king Jaspal Rana has been declared the best athlete at the Asian Games and will be flying back to Doha on Thursday.
Having won three gold medals, the champion returned to a hero's welcome on Saturday with a full band blaring. "I just cannot believe it, this is something I had not even dreamt of," Jaspal told HT on Tuesday.
After lying low for quite a long time, Jaspal grabbed the headlines last week when he first shot down the standard pistol gold. Then came the centre fire gold, with a world record score of 590 which once again showed he belonged to the to top league.
In fact, Jaspal was supposed to be leaving for Dehradun morning on Wednesday morning to be with his father and coach NS Rana. And with elections due in Uttranchal shortly, Rana Senior wanted the son to be there as part of the election campaign.
"I am going to take the first flight out to Doha. I am thrilled I will be given this award at the closing ceremony on December 15," said a moved Jaspal. The emotional star, who did take some pot-shots at the Sports Authority of India and Sports Ministry for not supporting shooters in their preparation for the Games, is now a happy man.
Baljeet Sethi, secretary, National Rifle Association of India, he had got the official news of Jaspal being named best sportsperson from Doha. "At the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Samresh Jung was declared the best athlete, so this is a great honour for Indian shooting," said Sethi.
