Author: Abhijit Deshmukh

Abhijit Deshmukh from Chateauroux As I stood in the mixed zone, waiting for Indian shooters Aishwarya Pratap Tomar and Swapnil Kusale, a wave of recognition washed over me. Amid the sea of faces, one stood out — Victor Lindgren of Sweden. The silver medallist in men’s 10m air-rifle had captivated audiences worldwide with his precision and poise. This was the event where India’s Arjun Babuta had narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. Victor Lindgren is not just a sharpshooter; he is a craftsman in every sense of the word. Back in Sweden, he works as a welder, a profession that…

Abhijit Deshmukh from Chateauroux The Paris Olympics have been a groundbreaking event for India, with Manu Bhaker making history as the first Indian to clinch two medals in a single Games. Now, Swapnil Kusale has added to the excitement, emerging as a beacon of hope for another medal. In his debut Olympic appearance, the 29-year-old Kusale etched his name in the record books as the first Indian shooter to advance to the finals of the 50m rifle 3 positions event. Residing in Pune, but hailing from the Kambalwadi village in Radhanagari Taluka, Kolhapur district, Kusale achieved a remarkable score of…

Abhijit Deshmukh from Chateauroux The sting of finishing fourth at the Olympics is all too familiar to many Indian athletes. Legends of Indian sports like Milkha Singh, PT Usha, and Abhinav Bindra have faced this heart-wrenching scenario, as have more recent competitors like Deepak Punia and Aditi Ashok. On Monday, at the Châteauroux shooting range, Arjun Babuta joined this unfortunate club, missing out on the bronze by a razor-thin margin of just 0.6 points. Arjun had been performing exceptionally well, consistently ranking in the top three throughout most of the event. However, two stray shots cost him a coveted spot…

Abhijit Deshmukh from Chateroux Ramita Jindal was in her nappies, when her coach, Suma Shirur, reached the 10m air-rifle final at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Since then, no female shooter from India had reached the finals of this event at the Olympics. Ramita, who started slowly in the qualification round, made it to the final. On Monday morning, the stage was set. Ramita had an opportunity to create history, as no Indian female athlete had ever won a medal in a rifle event. The day before, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal,…

While I was covering Prithviraj Tondaiman’s trap-shooting event, something caught my attention— a mother cradling her infant with a stroller nearby. Intrigued, I approached and asked, “How old is the child?” “Three months,” she replied, her voice calm amidst the chaos of the event. I was taken aback—a mother with her three-month-old at a trap event? There had to be a story there. I asked if I could interview her, but she hesitated, saying in halting English, “My English, no good.” She called her husband, speaking softly in Spanish. He approached and introduced himself. “I’m Viktor,” he said. “My English…

Abhijit Deshmukh from Chateroux At the Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker’s dreams were derailed when her pistol malfunctioned during the 10m air pistol qualification. Losing 10 critical minutes, she was forced to switch to a backup gun, ultimately missing out on a spot in the finals. Many speculated that if Jaspal Rana, the legendary Indian shooter, had been her coach, the outcome might have been different. Fast forward to the Paris Olympics, and Rana is now by Manu’s side as her personal coach. On a tense Saturday afternoon, as Manu prepared to start her event, Rana set up a tripod and…

Indian archers have never won a medal at the Olympics but after the ranking round, at the Invalids archery venue in Paris, there is hope. The Indian women’s team consisting of Ankita Bhakat, Deepika Kumari and Bhajan Kaur took the side to the fourth position. On the basis of their ranking, India have got a direct entry into the quarterfinals of the women’s team event at the Paris Olympics; two rounds away from a medal Ankita finished in the 11th position in the Individual Ranking Round with a score of 666, while Bhajan ended up 22nd. On the other hand,…

In the high-stakes arena of sports, the difference between victory and defeat often hinges on the finest margins. Nutrition is a crucial yet sometimes overlooked component that can significantly impact an athlete’s performance. Just as a car needs the right fuel to run efficiently, athletes require the correct nutrients to perform at their best. The foods they consume can either enhance their abilities, promote recovery, and prevent injuries, or hinder their progress and performance. For the first time, the Indian Olympic Association has formed a 13-member medical team for the Olympics, led by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dhinshaw Pardiwala. Pune-based Aradhana…

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Indian contingent comprised 122 athletes, the largest number the country had ever sent to the Summer Games. India achieved its biggest medal haul in a single Olympics with seven medals, including Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold medal in the men’s javelin throw. With the Paris 2024 Olympics just a month away, India aims to surpass this achievement. So far, 100 Indian athletes across 15 sports have qualified for Paris. With less than 30 days left until the mega event, few events are remaining where athletes can make the cut for Paris. However, some Indian athletes…

At 2020 Tokyo Olympics,26 Indians qualified for the Athletics competition. So far, 18 Indian athletes have qualified for Paris. The Indian contingent is hopeful that a dozen more athletes will qualify for the mega event. A few Indian men athletes are well within the world rankings and can qualify, while some are on the borderline. 1) Tejaswin Shankar and Sarvesh Kushare (High Jump) India’s Tejaswin Shankar, who won the silver medal at 2022 Hangzhou Asian games in the Decathlon, might not qualify for the same event at Paris. Tejaswin is currently placed 51st in Decathlon in the world rankings. Only…