Shooting for glory [218/365]

Source: Getty Images

It looks like shooting could be in our blood after all. Ever since Abhinav captured India's imagination with an Olympic gold, we have been getting better at shooting.

Yesterday, we got our second Oly medal- a silver in the 25 mtr rapid fire pistol event when serving army man Subedar Vijay Kumar Sharma of the 16th Dogra Regiment in a 40 shot finished just 4 points behind Cuba.
Calm, composed and with none the fist bumping and celebration that our other athletes are known for, he like his medal colleagues worked his way up the ranks.

I've said it before and I'll say it again- Sports reveals character. And its about time we had more world-class athletes.

Ga Ga Gagan [213/365]

Source: ForbesIndia

And India got her first medal.

Gagan Narang, 29 and India's sweetheart in a hurry, won a bronze in the men's 10 meter air rifle.
But for optimists who think this would be the start of deluge of Oly medals, our nation's medal rank will disappoint. We are already 25th in the list.

India's former sweetheart, Abhinav Bindra didnt make it. Armchair sportstars will have a field day ridiculing Abhinav but considering how close he came (Abhinav lost by a mere 4 points) I think he will make us proud again. Nonetheless, I think this is great news. From great falls, you rise again.

In other news, our hockey team went down fighting. Which is a welcome relief from the poor shows they have been putting in the past couple of Games.
Hesh and Bopanna are still in the reckoning but considering how unsportsmanlike the duo have been over the selection process, I doubt if they will get a medal. Ditto with Lee or Sania. Am I a raging pessimist? No. Sportspersons who bicker like petty kinder-garden kids over who they will play with cannot possibly have any character within themselves.

While we wait for a couple of more medals, considering the Law of Averages, I can confidently say that Indian sports have entered a bright new era where performance does matter.

Until the next medal, India will continue to fawn over it's newest sharp shooter.