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Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale clinched the bronze medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris Olympics 2024, securing India's third medal in the shooting competition.
Swapnil Kusale Wins Bronze for India in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions
The 28-year-old's consistent performance across prone, kneeling, and standing positions earned him a podium finish. With this achievement, Kusale also created history by becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in this particular event. His bronze medal win was a sweet redemption after a heartbreaking experience at the previous year's Asian Games. Leading comfortably until the final stages, Kusale narrowly missed out on a medal due to a single unfortunate shot.
Swapnil Kusale's Road to Bronze
Swapnil Kusale's journey to the bronze medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event was marked by a steady climb up the leaderboard. Starting in sixth place after the kneeling round, he improved his position to fifth after the prone stage, trailing the bronze medallist by a mere 0.6 points. A strong start to the standing stage saw him move into fourth place, just 0.4 points shy of the podium. The 50m rifle 3 positions event consists of three rounds of 15 shots each in kneeling, prone, and standing positions, followed by an elimination round. Kusale had qualified for the final by securing seventh place in the qualification round with an impressive score of 590, including 38 inner 10s.
Kusale's bronze medal is India's third at the Paris Olympics, following Manu Bhaker's historic double bronze in the women's 10m air pistol and mixed team events. Bhaker became the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympic edition since India's independence.
China's Y.K. Liu emerged victorious in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event, clinching the gold medal with a total score of 463.6 points. Ukraine's S. Kulish secured the silver with 461.3 points. Meanwhile, Kusale aggregated 451.4 points to claim third spot.
Swapnil Kusale: From Farmlands to Firing Range
Swapnil Kusale, a native of Maharashtra with humble agricultural roots, has defied odds to become a shooting sensation. Currently employed as a Travelling Ticket Examiner, his journey to the top began at a young age. Enrolled in Maharashtra's Krida Prabhodini sports program, he gravitated towards shooting after a year of rigorous physical training. His talent quickly blossomed. A gold medal at the Asian Shooting Championships in the junior 50m rifle prone category in 2015 was a testament to his potential. Conquering the national stage, he outshone established shooters like Gagan Narang and Chain Singh to clinch gold in the 50m rifle prone event. Kusale's dominance continued with another national championship victory in the 50m rifle 3 position category, solidifying his position as a rising star in Indian shooting.
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