Olympic Medallist Vijay Kumar Advocates for Equal Role of Personal and National Coaches

Vijay Kumar, Olympic silver medallist in shooting, stresses the equal importance of personal and national coaches in an athlete's development, expressing concern about India's preparation steps for the Paris Games. He advocates for only experienced international level coaches, urging better planning and execution by the shooting federation for future events.

Olympic medallist shooter Vijay Kumar emphasized the equal importance of personal and national coaches in the growth of athletes, amid ongoing debates with the Paris Games approaching.

Several Indian athletes have chosen personal coaches, and Kumar believes it's beneficial if such coaches receive deserved recognition. Notably, Manu Bhaker has picked Jaspal Rana for pistol shooting and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar trains under Joydeep Karmakar. Athletes across disciplines are also seeking personalized coaching.

Kumar, a surprise silver winner in the 2012 London Olympics, insists that the shooting federation should employ coaches with strong credentials who've competed and won internationally. He also criticized the timeline and planning for the Olympic-bound shooters, advocating for a clear roadmap six months before the Games.