At the Paris Olympics, 2024 went with a bitter-sweet memory. The Indian athletes showcased their excellence on the global stage. But among all sports, India’s shooting side shined bright. India secured three bronze medals in the shooting category. Swapnil Kusale was one of them. In a recent interaction, he revealed his special connection with MS Dhoni.
Swapnil Kusale Won the Third Medal for India:
Swapnil Kusale secured India’s third bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 by finishing third in the men’s 50m rifle 3-position final. His performance added to India’s success in shooting. He joined Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh to make it a hat-trick of medals. This marks the first time India has won three shooting medals in a single Olympic Games.
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Kusale set a new record by becoming the only Olympic medalist in this category. He scored 451.4 points after four rounds of the elimination stage. China’s Yukun Liu won the gold, and Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine took silver. Kusale maintained his third-place position with strong performances in the standing rounds, scoring 51.4 and 50.4 in his two series.
Despite shooting 9.4 and 9.9 in the second and third elimination shots, Kusale’s significant lead over the fourth place finisher ensured his bronze medal. His consistent shooting throughout the event highlighted his skill and determination.
Kusale’s Inspiration from MS Dhoni:
In the cricket world, MS Dhoni is an all-time legend. Being the inspiration to many, the legendary wicketkeeper-batter of India won the 2011 World Cup after 28 years. Throughout his career, he inspired youths. Paris Olympics bronze medalist Swapnil Kusale is also one of them. In a recent interaction, he opened up about this.
Kusale said, “I relate to Dhoni more because he was a ticket collector in the Railways and I am also a TC. We all have seen the movie (M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story), where he wanted to realise his dream of becoming a cricketer and followed his instincts. I have a similar mindset.”
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Later he added, “Another thing which really stands out in Dhoni is his calm temperament. He never gets flustered whatever be the situation. These are the same things we require in shooting. One bad shot and we get rattled. So, we don’t have to do that but remain calm. That is the most important thing. Those are the things I learnt from Dhoni.”
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