Swapnil Kusale's Historic Olympic Triumph in Shooting

Swapnil Kusale won a historic bronze medal in the 50m rifle three positions at the Olympics, making him the first Indian to do so in this grueling event. Despite numerous setbacks and intense competition, his perseverance paid off, propelling him into the annals of Indian sports history.

Swapnil Kusale doesn't quite understand why it took so long for him to reach the Olympics, but his debut was nothing short of spectacular as he secured a bronze medal on Thursday.

The medal is life-changing for Kusale and historic for Indian shooting, marking the first time an Indian rifle shooter has medaled in the physically demanding 50m 3 positions event. Despite the long journey that began in 2009 and included a narrow miss for the Tokyo 2020 Games, Kusale's resilience paid off in Paris.

Expectations were higher for younger shooters, but Kusale became the first Indian finalist and medalist in this event. Controlling his nerves, Kusale's consistent performance earned him the historic medal. National coach Manoj Kumar attributed the success to Kusale's razor-sharp focus. Deeply grateful to his supportive family and coaches, Kusale aims for nothing less than gold in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)