PARIS: When shooter Abhinav Bindra broke India’s 28-year-old gold jinx in the Olympics in 2008, it became a moment to savour for every sports fan in the country. It was followed up by two more medals in London, but since then Indian shooters have drawn a blank. The disappointment of Rio and Tokyo has kept haunting us and if India are to come close to their tally of seven medals in the last Olympics, the shooters have to start firing on all cylinders in Paris.
It’s a 21-strong shooting contingent competing in all 15 events and all eyes will be on pistol queen Manu Bhaker at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre near the French capital. She is taking part in three events — women’s 10m air pistol, women’s 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team. Her failure in Tokyo keeps cropping up but coach Jaspal Rana doesn’t want to pay too much attention to it, as she prepares to take the range for her qualification event in the 10m air pistol on Saturday.
