Paris, August 2: Shooter Swapnil Kusale etched his name in the annals of Indian sports history by securing a bronze medal in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Kusale’s exceptional performance at the National Shooting Center in ChĆ¢teauroux marked India’s third medal at the Games and the first-ever Olympic medal in this event for the countryside.
Kusale scored 451.4 points, finishing behind China’s Yukun Liu, who claimed gold with a score of 463.6, and Ukraine’s Serhiy Kulish, who took silver with 461.3 points. The 3P event requires shooters to compete in kneeling, prone, and standing positions, testing their versatility and skill across different shooting stances.
In the kneeling position, Kusale started with scores of 50.8 and 50.9, followed by a slight improvement with 51.6 in the third series, placing him sixth with a total of 153.3 points. His performance in the prone position saw a significant uptick, with scores of 52.7, 52.2, and 51.9, bringing his total to 310.1 and moving him up to fifth place.
The standing position proved crucial for Kusale. After a nine-minute break, he scored 10.6, 10.3, 9.1, 10.1, and 10.3 in the first series, advancing to fourth place with a score of 361.2. Kusale’s consistency under pressure was evident as he scored 10.5, 9.4, and 9.9 in subsequent elimination rounds, securing his place on the podium with a final score of 451.4.
Kusale’s journey to this historic achievement is a testament to his dedication and skill. Born in 1995, he comes from an agricultural family and works as a Travelling Ticket Examiner with the Pune Railway Division. His introduction to shooting began at Maharashtra’s Krida Prabhodini sports program, where he chose the sport after a year of intensive physical training. His accolades include a gold medal in the 50m rifle prone 3 event at the 2015 Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait and multiple national championships.
This bronze adds to India’s medal tally in shooting at the Paris Olympics, following Manu Bhaker’s bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event and another bronze in the 10m pistol mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh. Kusale’s remarkable achievement not only brings pride to the nation but also underscores India’s growing prowess in shooting sports.