2024-08-28 07:57:31
Abhishek Upadhyay, New Delhi: In the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024, India’s shooter Swapnil Kusale had targeted the bronze medal. He was given a grand welcome after returning to India. After a long rest, he had a special conversation with us. He shared his experience of the Olympic Village. He spoke about the future planning. Along with this, he also told how small things always kept him focused and helped him move forward. Kusale said that shooting is also a mental game to a great extent, where it is very important for the players to keep their mind calm, so that they can aim correctly and accurately. Read excerpts from the conversation with him below…
It is very important to keep a calm mind
Swapnil said that even though his dream has not been fulfilled yet, with his bronze medal he has definitely given Indian fans a chance to be happy. Kusale, who started his shooting career in 2008 through ‘Krida Prabodhini’ in Maharashtra, said that as soon as he reached the Games Village in Paris, he went to see the shooting range of Shatohu (where the shooting competition took place). Kusale said, ‘As soon as we reached Shatohu, first of all I and other players went to see the range, we saw the logo of the Olympic rings, which made us very excited that we are going to perform here.’
‘Nothing has changed yet… I am the same as I was before. My dream has not been fulfilled yet, so I have to focus on it and work hard…’ This is what shooter Swapnil Kusale, who won a bronze medal for the country in the 50m rifle 3 position at the Paris Olympics, said. Kusale, who hails from Kolhapur in Maharashtra, may have created history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win a medal in this event, but he is still far from his ‘golden dream’… and that dream is the Olympic gold medal, which is the biggest goal of any athlete in the world.
Swapnil Kusale’s special conversation with our correspondent Abhishek Upadhyay
Reached here after going through difficulties
Kusale’s journey to the Olympics was not easy at all. After learning the tricks of the game in 2008, he also participated in the 2012 Nationals, despite which it took him almost 12 years to make his Olympic debut. Talking about his struggle, he said, ‘I had equipment like rifle and barrel, but they were not of Olympic level, due to which I had to face problems. I started training myself at the senior level. Apart from my family, Deepali Mam (former Indian shooter and coach) helped me financially. Apart from this, I also got help from the government scheme TOPS.’
Practice will start after the break
29-year-old Swapnil has taken a two-month break after winning the bronze medal, after which he will once again start preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics to be held in 2028. He says, ‘I will use the learnings I have received in the Paris Olympics and improve my shortcomings. My main focus will be on physical training, because if I remain fit, my confidence increases and I am able to perform well. By improving my fitness, I will focus on winning the gold medal in the next Olympics.’
distanced itself from social mediaSwapnil Kusale believes that to be successful in life, it is important to keep distance from social media and its negativity. This is the reason why he kept distance from social media even before the Asian Games started last year. Kusale says, ‘Before the Asian Games… I had closed social media from around 7 August. In between, my team had to post a post, due to which I had to log in, but apart from that I was away from social media till the Olympics ended. When I won the medal, only then did I open Instagram to post the photo of the Olympic medal. I had decided that I would open Instagram only with the medal, otherwise I would not. I could not win the Olympic gold, but I came close to my goal, so I opened Instagram.’