Credit: X
On Thursday, August 1, Swapnil Kusale etched his name in India’s sporting history by becoming the first Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions event. Kusale clinched the bronze medal with a total score of 451.3 in the men’s final at Paris Olympics 2024. With his bronze, India’s tally at the current edition has reached a total of three medals, all bronze in shooting.
Apart from Swapnil’s conduct during the 50m rifle 3 position final, one thing that grabbed eyeballs and went viral on social media was his Olympic logo-shaped ring he was wearing. Fans were quick to notice it and hailed his mindset and confidence on social media.
Kusale was selected to be a part of a Maharashtra government sports scheme, Krida Prabhodini, at the age of 14, where he chose shooting as a preferred sport. The Kohlapur-born shooter shited to a residential school at the age of 10, and since then has stayed in government residential institutes. Four years after he started shooting, Swapnil won the title in the 50m rifle prone event in Asian Championships in 2015, before winning the national title in the same discipline.
He edged out London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang and Chain Singh in the final. Kusale’s interest in the 50m 3P event started towards the end of his junior days. In 2015, Swapnil joined Indian Railways as a Ticket Collector, and got his first own rifle by saving his first three month’s salary. Swapnil replicated his success at the 61st National Championship in Thiruvananthapuram and won gold in the 50m rifle 3 position event.
On May 17, 2024, Kusale secured his Paris Olympics 2024 berth after final Olympic trials held at the MP State Shooting Ranges in Bhopal, which was the fourth and final trial. The 28-year-old shooter draws inspiration from former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni. Swapnil and Dhoni have so much in common, they both hail from humble backgrounds and excelled in their respective fields.
Not only this, but Swapnil also tries to keep himself calm under pressure, mirroring the calm demeanour of the cricketing legend, and they both have worked as Ticket Collectors with the Indian Railways. Kusale shared, "Dhoni's story resonates deeply with me. His unwavering focus and ability to perform under immense pressure are qualities I admire. While I look up to many in the shooting world, Dhoni's journey is particularly inspiring.”
