Abhinav Bindra: First Gold Medalist for India in Olympics 2008
Shooter Abhinav Bindra has become the first Indian to have won an Olympic Gold medal since 1980 as he clinched the goal medal of 10 m Air Rifle event in the ongoing Beijing Olympics Games 2008. This is the first medal for India in the Beijing Olympic Games 2008. In this event, Bindra also holds the title of world championship. Abhinav Bindra scored 700.5 in his way to win the goal medal, surpassing his World Championship score of 699.1 that he made in 2006.
Born in a Sikh family from Mohali, Punjab, Abhinav Bindra also had several international successes in shooting earlier, but the Olympic Gold medal must be something special for the 25-year old shooter. Winning the goal medal in Beijing Olympics, Bindra has become the first person from Sikh community to have won an Olympic Gold medal in an individual event. Four years back, another shooter from India, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, won the silver medal in 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Father Dr A S Bindra has termed it a victory for the whole nation, not just a victory for Abhinav Bindra. Dr Bindra admitted that the victory has come after spending a lot of money on Abhinav’s training and his years of hard work. Abhinav was struggling with a back problem while leaving India for Beijing, but nothing could affect his determination to show his best in Olympic Games. Dr Bindra also admitted that Abhinav took physical and mental training for the last three months in abroad. He even went through a commando type training in order to increase his mental strength. So, that is what it takes to win a Olympic Gold Medal. Qinan Zhu of China ended up winning silver medal scoring 699.7, while Henri Hakkinen from Finland won Bronze with 699.4 score.
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