Kumar Bahukhandi
Clinches country’s first-ever Olympics bronze in 50m rifle 3 positions event
Mah Govt announces Rs 1 cr prize for Kusale
On an empty stomach and with his heart racing, Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale kept his composure to stage a remarkable comeback and help the country claim its first ever Olympic bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions event here on Thursday. Kusale shot an aggregate of 451.4 in the eight-shooter final to finish third after being placed sixth at one stage. It took the country’s overall tally to three, all bronze in shooting, at the Paris Games. His medal comes following the stunning performance of Manu Bhaker, who clinched the women’s 10m air pistol and mixed team 10m air pistol bronze alongside Sarabjot Singh. “I did not eat anything, was feeling the butterflies (in my stomach). Just had black tea and came here.
The night before every match, I just pray to god,” Kusale said after his unprecedented achievement. “Today the heartbeat was on the higher side. I just tried to control my breathing and did not try anything different Everyone is more or less the same at this level,” he added. Kusale, whose father and brotherare teachers ina district school and his mother the sarpanch of Kambalwadi village near Kolhapur in Maharashtra, finished behind China’s Yukun Liu (463.6) and Ukraine’s Serhiy Kulish (461.3).
The last time a 50m rifle shooter made it to the Olympic finals was in 2012 London when Joydeep Karmakar finished fourth in 50 mrifle prone event,which has been discontinued at the Olympics. “To be honest, I did not see the scoreboard. It was my years of hardwork and that is what I kept in mind while shooting. I was listening to the announcements of scores but was ignoring it.I just wanted the Indian supporters to keep cheering for me,” he said. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced a prize of Rs 1 crore for shooter Swapnil Kusale, who won a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Shinde also told reporters he had spoken to Kusale’s father and coach and had wished the ace shooter via a videocall.“The Maharashtra government is announcing a prize of Rs 1 crore for Kusale. He will be felicitated on his arrival from the Olympics,” the CM said. Kusale, who was a Railways Ticket Collector and draws inspiration from cricket icon MS Dhoni, was slow to start with but fought his way back to bag the third prize in his very first appearance in the world’s biggest sporting spectacle. “Actually,I don’t go for railway work. The Indian railways has given me 365 days leave to perform well for India. My personal coach Deepali Deshpande is like a mother to me. She has supported me unconditionally. I have not spoken to my mother yet,” Kusale said
