Saluting a
Shooting Phenomenon
Photo
Credit ::Xinhua -
http://en.beijing2008.cn
Not for nothing did Geet Sethi India's
billiards legend launch the Gold Quest, the search of an Olympic
gold along with badminton legend Prakash Padukone. Sethi knows how
Indians can excel in sports where you have to shoot at a stationary
object. They have the back-up of yoga and concentration.
In cue sports it is the ball, it shooting it is the bull's eye.
Abhinav Bindra has vindicated Sethi's idea which has benefited the
other shooter who competed alongside Bindra, Gagan Narang in the 10m
air rifle event in which he won gold to make history for India.
Thanks to Bindra, India's Independence Day celebrations, set for
August 15, were advanced.
Among those who paid tribute to Bindra was Lata Mangeshkar. She said
she knew from first hand how tough shooting is as she had tried her
hand at it along with brother Hridaynath at her home Kolhapur which
has a tradition for shooting with Deepali Deshpande, who was at the
Athens Games, hailing from there. She said it is a great feeling
when one hits the target and she congratulated Abhinav for doing
India proud and praising his efforts and how strange that he had
done this at a young age.
Indian Olympic Association president
Suresh Kalmadi said: "In a cricket-mad country Bindra's feat will
move our kids to Olympic sports."
Then came his parents. Father AS Bindra said: "India has proved it.
He had a passion for shooting, fiddling with guns. When he was five
he would place a balloon on the head of his maid and shoot them. We
were fearing that a problem would be created if he missed the mark
the maid could get hurt. But he always shot the balloon. He is
always cool, never moved by media and publicity. He is a silent
killer, silent worker."
Abhinav's mother said: "Before he left
I told him 'you and mamma know that you can
win gold,' I will visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar before
going to Delhi on August 14 to receive him."
PT Usha who could have been the first
Indian Olympic individual gold winner, being fourth in the 400
meters hurdles at Moscow, said: "He took to the sport at a young
age. I had written in my column that he can win gold. But it is sad
that we will spend the next two months celebrating and then forget.
I saw a few months ago that our shooters were not getting enough
ammunition for training. That's India, one hopes this is not
repeated."
Praise began coming in and Bindra he
was being hailed as 'The Ice Man' like Bjorn Borg, the tennis legend
who was a picture of composure always. Bindra was also cool hardly
betraying any emotion as the National anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' was
played at the medal ceremony.
Anjali Bhagwat, women's rifle shooter,
who lost on the first day said: "I have traveled with him seeing his
hard work. This is our medal." She spoke for a huge shooting family
which has a great tradition. Rajyvardhan Rathore's silver medal at
Athens Olympiad have Indian shooting a shot in the arm.
As Anjali Bhagwat said: "We had won all
events World Cup, Commonwealth, World Championship, only the Olympic
gold was remaining. Now Bindra has got it. India is on top of the
shooting world."
Pradeep Vijayakar :: Monday
11 August 2008
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