Indian marksman Swapnil Kusale staged a remarkable comeback to secure a bronze medal in the men's 50m 3P event at the Paris Olympics on Thursday. In the final, Kusale was stuck in the sixth position for an extended period. However, he started consistently scoring 10s and steadily climbed to a medal position.
The 28-year-old later disclosed how he managed to recover from a sluggish start to achieve a podium finish. "I didn't glance at the scoreboard. I solely concentrated on my procedure and follow-through," he explained. "I focused on my breathing. I aimed to remain calm. That's what elevated me to this level." Emotions were palpable on Kusale's face after he defied the odds and made history.
"Obviously, I feel proud. We compete in a different country, and when our national anthem is played, regardless of the rank, but when the flag rises, there's a peculiar feeling inside, as if we've uplifted the name of India," he stated. The Asian Games gold medalist then dedicated the bronze medal to his fellow citizens.
"I want to dedicate this victory to India, my family, and my support team, everyone. Winning an Olympic medal is the aspiration of every athlete," he said. "I've toiled hard for so many years and reached this level. Even after this, I will continue to work hard, and I will make the country proud in the next Olympics." Earlier, shooter Manu Bhaker initiated India's medal count with a bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event.
Bhaker then became independent India's first athlete to claim two medals at the same Olympics when she secured the bronze with Sarabjot Singh in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Following Bhaker and Singh, Kusale delivered the third medal for India, marking the highest tally for the country in Olympic shooting. India will have a chance to increase their medal count to four when Bhaker competes in the 25m pistol event on Friday.
