Swapnil Kusale's Journey: From Railway TT To Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Winner For India

The Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, heaped praise on Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale as the latter went on to win bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3P event at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Thursday.

Kusale also became the first Indian shooter to win a medal in the men's 50m rifle 3P event. The shooter clinched the bronze medal for India in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Final after finishing in third place with an aggregate of 451.4. He secured India's third overall medal in shooting.

The former India shooter appreciated the 28-year-old player and said that his hard work, grit, and passion have paid off. (Paris 2024 Olympics: Shooter Swapnil Kusale Secures Bronze, India's Medal Tally Stands At 3)

"Absolutely thrilled for Swapnil's epic bronze medal win in shooting at the Paris Olympics! Your hard work, grit, and passion have truly paid off. Competing at the highest level and coming away with a medal in shooting is a testament to your dedication and talent. You've made India so proud and shown everyone what chasing dreams is all about. The Paris 2024 Olympics has been an incredible event, and your achievement adds to its unforgettable moments. Here's to many more victories and an amazing future ahead. Keep shining!" Bindra wrote on X.

Earlier in the qualification round, Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale finished seventh in the qualification round of men's 50m 3P to qualify for the final at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

Indian shooters Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Swapnil Kusale both appeared in the men's 50m 3P qualification round at the Paris 2024 Olympics. On his Olympic debut, Kusale finished seventh with a score of 590-38x. While Tomar ranked 11th with a total of 589-33x. Only the top eight shooters qualified for the final round, and Tomar failed to make his place in the final round.

People's Republic of China's Liu Yukun registered the qualification Olympic record with a total of 594-38x.

Kusale was also the first Indian shooter to make a place in the men's 50m rifle 3P medal event at the Olympics. Earlier at the multi-sport event, India shooter Manu Bhaker opened the nation's account with a bronze medal in the women's 10m air pistol event.

The Paris Olympics has been a redemption arc for Manu after her pistol malfunctioned at the Tokyo Olympics. She made history by becoming the first Indian woman in 20 years to reach a shooting final in an individual event of the Olympics since Suma Shirur in 2004. The Indian shooting duo of Manu and Sarabjot Singh got the better of South Korea's Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off match in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

Swapnil Kusale, born on August 6, 1995, in Pune, made his Olympic debut at Paris 2024. He secured his quota place by finishing fourth in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the 2022 World Championship in Cairo, Egypt.

At the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, held in 2023, Kusale won gold in the men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions team event. Alongside Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Akhil Sheoran, the Indian team set a world record with 1769 points, clinching the title.

Additionally, Kusale was a three-time medallist at the 2023 World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, earning one gold and two silver medals.

Performance in Paris:

Final: Swapnil recorded a score of 451.4, securing 3rd place in the final round.

Qualification Round: Swapnil qualified for the final round after finishing 7th with a total score of 590.

Past Achievements:

World Championship, Cairo (2022): Finished 4th, securing an Olympics 2024 quota place for India.

Asian Games 2022: Gold in the team event.

World Cup, Baku (2023): Gold medal in the mixed team event and two silver medals in individual and team events.

World Championship, Cairo (2022): Bronze medal in the team event.

World Cup, New Delhi (2021): Gold medal in the team event.

Kusale's historic achievements not only bring pride to India but also highlight the country's growing prowess in the sport of shooting. His journey from securing a quota place in Cairo to standing on the Olympic podium in Paris is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and remarkable skill.