Trap shooterManavjit Sandhu has said it is a myth that marksmen compete with themselves anddon't have a rival like other sports do.
"I have been asked this question many a time. In theory it may be correctbut in practice it is not. I don't know how this myth has come about. Because ashooter is always keen to know what his rival is doing. To tell you the truthevery shooter wants to know the score of other shooter," Sandhu, who ispart of the Indian shooting contingent here for the London Olympics.
"To be honest, I am always keen to know how my rival is doing. Knowing thescore of your opponent keeps you on your toes. For example, in 2010 GuangzhouAsian Games, it was a tense team match, we were neck and neck with Kuwait andLebanon and I was keenly observing how our rivals were doing so when I camelast, I knew what I had to score and it helped enormously," said Sandhu.
For Sandhu, it is his third Olympics in a row and he is better prepared for itthan the Athens and Beijing edition. "My form was tentative on the lasttwo occasions but here I am better prepared and at the moment in good nick. Ihave trained very hard in Italy before coming here."
Asked about the role of a coach, Sandhu said: "Well coach does make adifference but at the end it is the shooter who has to perform."
The tall shooter was of the view that a score of 121 out of 125 should beenough in his event to make the cut for the final.
He said the shooters from Russia, Italy and Australia start favourite.
"Previous records and statistics are not everything because they are meantto be changed and that is what happens usually."
Another shooter Sanjeev Rajput, who is taking part in his second Olympics feelsthat in his event - 50m rifle 3 position - the field is fairly strong. Sixtyshooters including world No.1 Nicolo (Italy) are in the fray.
Sanjeev's best in this event has been 1179 which came in 2009 Munich World Cupwhile he shot 1176 in the last year's edition.
According to him, a score of 1175 and above will be good enough to make thefinal.