DOHA: Gagan all set to bag India's first medal

DATELINE DOHA
Commonwealth Champions India start their shooting campaign today with India’s best bet Gagan Narang hoping to add the Doha Asian Games gold to his kitty, which is already full with World Cup and Commonwealth gold medals in the men’s 10m Air Rifle shooting. However, going would not be easy for India here like it was in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games where they topped the table with 16 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze.
Speaking to The Peninsula, India’s shooting coach Sunny Thomas said: “The biggest threat is from China here and it’s very difficult to beat them. Yesterday, during the practice, even Japanese shooters shot good scores, so we cannot take it easy.”
Talking about India’s medal hope Gagan Narang, Thomas added, “Gagan is in good form and is shooting consistently. There’s a possibility that we can see him standing atop the podium tomorrow.”
Gagan, who has a knack of performing well under pressure situations, said: “The biggest competition tomorrow will be from self. Yes, China is the Olympic champion and their shooters are the best, so the competition is from them as well. But in shooting, it all depends on the day. If Chinese shooters falter on a particular day, we have a high chance of winning medals then. In shooting, everybody has the saem standard, what matters is who comes out the best on that particular day.”
According to Gagan, who hails from the same city as Sania Mirza – Hyderabad, the biggest threat is from Zhu Qinan of China. Qinan won gold at Athens Olympics breaking the World record in Men’s 10m Air Rifle.
“But I expect India will win at least a medal in the 10m air rifle event,” Gagan added.
For India apart from Gagan, Raghunath Padinchare Thermad and Navanath Bhanud Faratade will participate in the event.
Medals will also be decided in the women’s 10m Air Rifle event. India will be represented by Tejaswini Sawant, Avneet Sidhu and Suma Shirur today. All are good shooters in their own right, it all depends on whose day it is. After today, Gagan’s next event will be on December 8 and the shooter said, “India is expected to win anywhere between 6-12 medals in shooting.”
Coach Thomas played it safe. “I am expecting a minimum of five medals and anything above that. Even shotgun shooters are practicing well and I expect medals from them as well.”
India has fielded a 33-member contingent for the Games including Lt Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Samaresh Jung, Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Tesjaswini Sawant among others.
In the Busan Asian Games, the Indians had managed just two silver medals (men's trap team and the women's 10 m air rifle team) but expectations are high this year and shooting can be the only saving grace for India - the nation of one billion people.