Paris Olympics 2024: Swapnil Kusale wins historic BRONZE in 50m rifle 3 positions, takes India's tally to 3
In a historic achievement for Indian shooting, Swapnil Kusale clinched the nation's first-ever Olympic bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris Games 2024 on Thursday.
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FollowIn a historic achievement, Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale delivered a stunning performance to secure India's first-ever Olympic bronze medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris Games 2024 on Thursday. Kusale, who was positioned sixth at one point, staged a remarkable comeback to finish third with a total score of 451.4 in the final, which featured eight shooters. This bronze medal contributes to India's total tally of three medals at the Games, all of which are bronze.
Kusale’s achievement follows Manu Bhaker's remarkable wins in the women's 10m air pistol and the mixed team 10m air pistol events with partner Sarabjot Singh. All three of India’s medals at these Games have been in shooting events, marking a historic milestone for the country.
Swapnil Kusale, whose family includes his father and brother working as teachers in a district school and his mother serving as the sarpanch of Kambalwadi village near Kolhapur in Maharashtra, secured the bronze medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions event. He finished behind China's Yukun Liu (463.6) and Ukraine's Serhiy Kulish (461.3).
The last Indian to reach an Olympic final in a 50m rifle event was Joydeep Karmakar, who placed fourth in the 50m rifle prone event at the 2012 London Olympics, an event now discontinued.
Kusale, who previously worked as a ticket collector and draws inspiration from cricket legend MS Dhoni, initially struggled but made a remarkable comeback to claim third place in his debut appearance at the Olympics.
In the first standing series, Kusale was in fourth place. Despite starting with a 9.6 in the kneeling position, he made a strong comeback with a 10.6 and 10.3, briefly moving into second place. However, a 9.1 and 10.1 in subsequent shots dropped him back to fourth.
A crucial 10.3 allowed him to secure third place, which he held to win a medal. He finished sixth at 153.3 points by the end of the kneeling stage and fifth with a total of 310.1 points after the prone stage.
In the final stages, Kusale improved his performance and joined Bhaker and Sarabjot as a medalist in this edition of the Games.
The 28-year-old has been active in international competitions since 2012 but had to wait 12 years to make his Olympic debut at the Paris Games. Kusale, who finished seventh in a fiercely competitive qualification round on Wednesday, has been employed with Central Railways since 2015 and has watched the biopic of World Cup winner Dhoni multiple times.
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