Bull’s Eye: Olympian Medalist Gagan Narang On India’s Shooting Stars

The Indian Olympic contingent is surely at the cusp of some historic moments at Tokyo 2020. This is a new India, completely uninhibited and intensely aspirational. Our shooting contingent defines the fascinating power and vigour of youth. In Tokyo, they will give it a go. Some of them may not remain with the sport and eventually settle into other careers, but one Olympic medal will give them a solid foundation to their future. I am hoping these teenagers glide into the moment organically. For them, it is somewhat like meeting exam pressure or expectations of friends and peers.

Shooting has brought India several international medals over the years, but the sport has seen a massive growth since Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s silver at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Then came Abhinav Bindra’s gold in Beijing 2008, followed by Vijay Kumar's silver and my bronze at London 2012. The success of shooters has helped create an eco-system. With that, the talent pool has also grown. Today at the nationals, we see the range burst at its seams. Private shooting academies have come up and become a feeder system for the federation.There is huge thrust and motivation for parents to encourage their kids into sports, and the Khelo India scheme is certainly a huge boost. Because of the growing interest in the urban and semi-urban aspirational class, and higher disposable incomes of a certain class that wants their kids to be well-rounded, the sport of shooting has grown.

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Shooting is a very individualistic sport. After medals in three Olympics, we returned empty-handed from Rio 2016. You cannot call it a collective failure by the Indian shooting team, even though it is true that none of us were able to win a medal. Bindra finished a credible fourth. I say it’s credible because shooting is a sport where scores are decided in decimals. I was carrying an injury to the Rio Games, even though in the lead up to it and at Rio, I let my head and ambition control my body. But despite trying hard, the body refused to be in sync and hence the medal slipped. I would say many of us fell short by a whisker. The idea this time for shooters (and others) is to cross that ‘Laxman Rekha’. Ending fourth in Olympics can be heart-breaking.

So, what makes one click at the Olympics and win a medal?

First, I would put it down to a plan, including planning your peaks over the four-year cycle. In my case, the planning and execution was over an eight-year cycle, which, with newer scientific tools and other methods now available, can be brought down to four years.

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Second is mental fortitude—the ability to hang in there for those few extra seconds over the next best. The ability to visualise an entire match, up until the podium, and then walk back. Then there is practice, for which there is no substitute. For some, it comes at a huge personal cost and sacrifice. But this time, with Covid, we might be in for a few surprises, as many templates could have to be redefined.

I am sure players in every discipline will do their best to get to the podium. They might have all prepared for their glory moments and written their little speeches. Ask them, and many may even reveal these. Yes, I agree shooters will play a key role in pushing up India’s medal tally. But let us not put pressure on them at the moment.  

This is a contingent of youngsters laced with experienced. People like Rahi Sarnobat, Sanjeev Rajput, Apurvi Chandela have experience on their side. They have been there and done that. For them, it will be about slaying demons in their heads and living in the moment. The one standout quality in the current team is that they are young, yet experienced. That in itself is a lethal combination.

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Scores are very high these days, and Indian shooters have held several world records only to see them broken. This highlights the intensity of competition at any level. Our coaches have prepared our shooters for the occasion. All 15 Olympic-bound shooters have been shooting alongside the best in the world for 5-7 years now. Some have also participated in the Youth Olympics and won medals. So, high scores are not unknown to them. They have adjusted their performances accordingly.

In shooting, an Olympic medal is what matters most. But, just like in tennis—where you can become the World No. 1 without winning a Grand Slam—so too can you become world No. 1 in shooting without winning an Olympic medal. This team is packed with several world No. 1 shooters now. That is an indication of their form and achievements. Not for nothing are they at the top of the heap. If they are able to translate their form into performances at Tokyo, medals will be for theirs to keep. This team has the best of talent, they have done their work, Olympics is the opportunity for them to show that. I’m confident they will shoot to win.

It is very difficult to be Paul the Octopus and make predictions. But what I can tell you is that the team is well-prepared. They have been in Croatia for a while; shot well at the last World Cup too. They have got an understanding of where they stand in real match situations. All of them have great match awareness. All these should combine to produce a medal. There is no reason some of them can’t make the podium, unless lucked out. 

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They will be under pressure for sure. But I know they have coaches and mental health experts helping them down to the minutest things. There is a great support system around them. I’m confident they are deriving the best from the set-up they have. Mental health was on top of the agenda for sport ministries, SAI’s TOPS scheme and NRAI alike, and the federation has taken care of every detail of the athletes, while the latter were preparing during the pandemic. If they could glide through the pandemic, I’m sure they will glide through the Games with ease, to joy and glory.

(This appeared in the print edition as "Going Ballistic")

(Views are personal)

A World Cup champion, Gagan Narang won the men’s 10m air rifle bronze at the 2012 London Olympics