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Indian shooters to medal at the OIympics
Seven Indian shooters, six men and one woman, have medalled at the Games with three medals coming in Paris 2024
Shooter Manu Bhaker opened India’s account at the 2024 Paris Olympics after she claimed a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol final at the National Shooting Centre in Chateauroux on Sunday. Bhaker’s medal came on the second day of competitions at the Games and opened the doors for more medals as she and Sarabjot Singh won the bronze in 10m air pistol mixed team event and Swapnil Kusale claimed bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final.
Here’s the list of six Indian shooters who have won medals at the Olympic Games:
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore — Athens 2004
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore created history 20 years ago in Athens when he became the first Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal. Rathore had clinched a silver in men’s double trap. It is still India’s only shotgun medal. The gold was won by United Arab Emirates' Ahmed Al Maktoum while the bronze went to China’s Wang Zheng.
Abhinav Bindra — Beijing 2008
Abhinav Bindra etched his name in the record books in the Chinese capital by becoming the first Indian to win an individual gold medal. He claimed the title in men’s 10m air rifle, India’s first rifle medal at the Olympic Games. China’s Zhu Qinan and Henri Hakkinen of Finland claimed silver and bronze respectively. Bindra’s gold swelled India’s tally to three medals — the first time Indian athletes returned with more than two medals from the same Games.
Vijay Kumar — London 2012
Vijay Kumar was the surprise medallist in London as he claimed silver in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol final, India’s first medal in pistol shooting. Cuban Leuris Pupo claimed gold while the bronze went to Chinese Ding Feng.
Gagan Narang — London 2012
Gagan Narang’s bronze medal in the men’s 10m air rifle final took India’s tally to six medals in the British capital — India’s second best show in Olympic history. Italian legend Niccolo Campriani and Romanian Alin Moldoveanu had won gold and silver. India failed to win a shooting medal in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Manu Bhaker – Paris 2024
By clinching a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol final on Sunday, Manu Bhaker ended India’s 12-year medal drought in shooting. The medal opened India’s account at the 2024 Games as South Koreans Oh Ye Jin and Kim Yeji claimed gold and silver respectively. Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal and the second pistol shooter after Vijay.
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh – Paris 2024
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won India's second medal from the Paris Olympics when they claimed bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Manu became the first Indian to win two medals from the same edition of the Games and second Indian woman after PV Sindhu to win two Olympic medals. Now, she is also the third Indian after wrestler Sushil Kumar and shuttler Sindhu to win two individual Olympic medals. Serbians Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec won gold while the silver went to Turkey's Sevval Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec.
Swapnil Kusale – Paris 2024
Swapnil Kusale swelled India's medals tally at the Paris Olympics after earning a bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final. The gold went to China's Liu Yukun while the silver was won by Ukraine's Serhiy Kulish. This was the first time Indian shooters will be returning with three medals from the Olympics with the previous best being London 2012 when Gagan Narang and Vijay Kumar won bronze and silver respectively.
