Clichéd as it may sound, Indian shooting is bang on the target at the moment. The country’s top shooters have accumulated a record number of quotas –17 as of now—for the Paris Olympics in July-August. With a few more quotas to be won (mostly in shotgun), India are now expected to reach 20. In pistol and rifle, India have managed to get 15 out of possible 16 quotas. China and the US, with 21 and 18, have bagged more quotas as of now. To put the numbers in perspective, India secured a then-unprecedented 15 quotas in Tokyo 2020. In Rio 2016, they had managed to clinch 12. Despite all the promise, there were no medals in both the Olympics. After Abhinav Bindra’s historic gold in Beijing 2008, and silver and bronze by Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang in London four years later, there had been a considerable dip in medals form. The number of slots booked this time is certainly encouraging.
This also shows that the Indian shooters are not lacking in anything compared to that the best in the world. The domestic set-up is producing world, World Cup and continental champions. The Asian Games return (a record 22 medals) this time was a testament to that. The 10m air rifle legacy of Bindra and Gagan is being carried forward by 20-year-old Rudrankksh Patil, the 2022 world champion. In pistols, if we once had Jitu Rai as world champion, we now have the promising Sarabjot Singh, 22.
Though the domestic circuit is abuzz, a lack of Olympic medals would be a big concern for administrators and coaches. Last Olympics, during the bubble drive due to Covid, things did not go according to the plan for the shooting team. They first went to Croatia for almost a month to train and then flew to Tokyo. There were internal issues among the coaching staff as well. The shooters seemed mentally exhausted by the time they reached Tokyo. There are six months to go for the next Olympics. The selection trials in May will decide who will represent India and with stiff competition expected in various categories. There is enough time for the shooting federation and the Sports Authority of India to plan. They will need to get back the Olympic medal-winning mentality. Otherwise, like winning, losing may also become a habit.