Abhinav Bindra backs athletes to fight even after failure

Ex-India shooter Abhinav Bindra

India's only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra expects athletes not to give up after failing in one or two Olympics. In this way, the shooter feels India can increase its chances of winning medals. Bindra, 34, who won gold in the 10m air rifle shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, cited his own example of how he succeeded to bag a medal at the Olympics after his failure in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004).

"It takes about eight years to develop as an Olympic athlete. Very few athletes who go there win a medal in their first Games. It takes time for an athlete to develop. You have to give them a chance and time to develop," Bindra said.

Bindra, who hung his rifle after the Rio Olympics last year, was speaking during the launch of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to be held at Australia in April next year.

With new rules introduced, Bindra expects Indian shooters to perform well in Australia.

"New rules have been introduced in shooting where athletes start the final from zero. In this way the game is very open because there are only 20 odd shots in the final. The qualification round score, which was earlier carried on to the final, has now been stopped," said Bindra.