India won six medals in total, including three in shooting, and Manu Bhaker became the first post-independence athlete from the country to secure two podium finishes in a single edition of the Olympic Games.
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Apart from winning a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol shooting, Manu also bagged a bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol shooting with Sarabjot Singh as her teammate.
India claimed another bronze when Swapnil Kusale finished third in the final of the 50m rifle 3 positions event in Paris.
“There have been failures, but everyone has fought well,” Bindra told Jio Cinema.
“Results are important, but more than that, it’s about how we’ve improved as a nation in terms of performance. If you look at those elements, we’ve performed better than before. We’d like to see more conversions into medals, but we have a lot to be proud of,” he said.
Bindra praised Manu for teaming up with coach Jaspal Rana and working together to achieve his success.
“He (Rana) is a treasure trove of knowledge, a great teacher, and that’s a good thing. I had coaches I loved and others I really disliked, but I found a way to work with them.” “I give Manu credit for reconciling with Jaspal after a couple of difficult years, which is normal in a coach-athlete relationship. Athletes are sensitive people and when we are under pressure, that sensitivity increases,” he explained.
Bindra, a shooter and gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said Manu’s success in Paris was a story of resilience.
“She’s taught us all to be resilient, to navigate well and to bounce back from disappointments. The best moment was when she finished qualifying on the first day. I saw a picture of her and she didn’t have a smile on her face. That told me she was going to do well,” he said.
Bindra said Kusale’s focus on his preparations was the most notable factor.
“He was very strategic in his preparation. Many athletes made the long journey from Chateauroux to Paris for the opening ceremony, but Swapnil chose not to. He seemed to be a very self-aware athlete, he knew where his body and mind were,” she said.
“I didn’t want to lose energy, which I needed for the competition. Sometimes, that’s the difference between coming back with a medal or not,” Bindra added.
However, Bindra admitted that only time will heal the wounds of Arjun Babuta, who finished fourth in the men’s 10m air rifle event.
“I spoke to him before and after the event, he was disappointed but he was already looking ahead. He will need a little time to accept a fourth place, but that’s life, that’s what sport is about,” Bindra said.
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