From the publishers of THE HINDU VOL.31 :: NO.52 :: Dec. 27, 2008 • Contents
	YEAR-END SPECIAL / SHOOTING/ABHINAV BINDRA’S OLYMPIC GOLD Skill, brain and guts In a nerve-wracking final of the men’s 10m air rifle event, Abhinav Bindra fired 10.8 out of a maximum possible 10.9 to deliver India’s first Olympic gold medal. It was a tremendous effort by the champion shooter, writes Kamesh Srinivasan. The spectacular manner in which Abhinav Bindra won that elusive individual Olympic gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle event will remain a fascinating study in the history of Indian sports. A world champion at 25 and with the experience of having competed in two Olympics, Abhinav was ready to seize the moment at the Beijing Games. He trained diligently with his coaches Gaby Buhlmann and Heinz Rinkemeir in Germany. And just before leaving for Beijing, Abhinav also underwent commando training with the help of another trusted consultant Uwe Riesterer. That nerve-wracking physical drill, as Abhinav was to concede later, played a significant role in helping him conquer the fear factor. The champion shooter also worked with the mental trainer, Timothy Harkness of South Africa, thanks to the unstinting support of the Mittal Champions Trust. Thereafter, Abhinav said, he began to back himself and his beliefs and doubt his doubts. Quite interestingly, Abhinav, in order to avoid the pre-departure programme at home and all the media attention, quietly flew into China straight from Germany after getting his visa there. His Olympic accreditation card reached him only after he arrived in Beijing. “I got up feeling very energetic on the day of the competition,” recalled Abhinav. He was one of the shooters to arrive early at the range. There was positive energy flowing, but he shot a 9 on the last of the 60 shots in the preliminary phase. Abhinav was unfazed. “I was happy to make the final. That was the first step,” he said. With 596 out of 600, Abhinav was two points behind the leader, Henri Hakkinen of Finland, and one behind Zhu Qinan of China. He had shot rounds of 100, 99, 100, 98, 100 and 99. Abhinav was in the fourth position among the eight finalists. The other Indian in the fray, Gagan Narang, had fought hard after a first card of 97, but missed out on a final berth on the count-back, with a 595. Four others with 595 had made the final. The onus was on Abhinav to deliver something special that would not only wipe the disappointment of Gagan missing the final in agonising fashion, but also clear the cobwebs of doubt that had plagued Indian sports for over six decades. Zhu Qinan, the defending champion and the Olympic record holder, was sitting pretty with a 597. There was tremendous drama in the preparatory phase as Abhinav’s rifle misbehaved. He started the ‘sighter’ series with a 4.2. It was a shocker, as he had not shot such a score in the last 15 years ever since he lifted a rifle. A master at handling a rifle, Abhinav gave about 40 ‘clicks’ to get his trusted rifle back to its best behaviour. He had shot only one 10 in the ‘sighter’ series. The ghost of Athens — where he failed to land a medal owing to an unstable wooden floor — was threatening to strike again. There was suspense. However, Abhinav unleashed a 10.7 first competition shot. It was joy and relief. He had set right his rifle! The champion quickly realised that it was a golden opportunity for him. Thereafter, it was intense concentration yet again. There was no sign of nerves. The worst was behind him. In a brilliant climax, in which all his 10 shots were 10s, Abhinav went on from relative obscurity to become the Olympic champion. He fired 10.7, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.5, 10.5, 10.6, 10.0, 10.2 and 10.8 to log 104.5 points, as against the 102.7 by the eventual silver medallist, Zhu Qinan. Abhinav moved from fourth to third after the first shot and to second after the third shot. He then led by 0.2 points after the seventh shot. But after the eighth shot, his lead was reduced to 0.1 before Hakkinen caught up with him after the ninth shot. Then came the crucial moment — everything depended on his last shot. All the years of training, his mental toughness and everything he had to offer Indian sports was encapsulated in that single shot. Champions strike at the moment of reckoning and so did Abhinav Bindra. He shot 10.8 out of a maximum possible 10.9. Abhinav clenched his fist in celebration. He then walked up to coach Gaby Buhlmann, who hugged him and said, “You are the champion man”. There was joy in the Indian camp, and all over India. Zhu Qinan came up with a courageous 10.5 on the last shot but that could only fetch him a silver medal. Hakkinen, who needed a perfect 10.9 to win after Abhinav’s last shot, misfired for a 9.7 and had to settle for the bronze medal. “It was tough competition. I think I just hung in there a little longer. It was my day,” said Abhinav later. Printer friendly page   Send this article to Friends by E-Mail Contents • Daily Sports • The Hindu • Business Line • Frontline • Publications • eBooks • Images Copyright © 2008 Sportstar Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of Sportstar.