"I need to improve to bring that gold medal": Swapnil Kusale sets target for Los Angeles Olympics 2028

Swapnil Kusale (left) with coach Deepali Deshpande during Paris Olympics selection trials in Bhopal last May

Though Kolhapur-based Swapnil Kusale, 29, became India's first-ever Olympic bronze medal-winner in 50m rifle 3 positions in Paris recently, he revealed a dream is yet to be realised.

"Feeling very good now, but my dream is yet to be fulfilled, which is to win a gold medal at the Olympics. My next goal will be to achieve it at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. I need to work hard for that, so I will soon start my preparations," Kusale told Sunday mid-day from Pune.

Kusale, who earlier clinched gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games and World Cup in New Delhi in 2022 and 2021 respectively, and a bronze at World Championships at Cairo in 2022, admitted that there will be more pressure of expectations on him. He said: "Yes, there will be more expectations now, but I think to keeping better control of myself will be the key factor. I will focus on the areas which I need to improve to bring that gold medal."

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‘Focus on myself'

Kusale hit a few low scores in the kneeling and prone positions before making a strong comeback in the standing position in the final at Paris. He revealed how he managed to do better in the deciding moment. "Before the final I told myself that whatever happens, the most important thing is to focus on myself and I was just doing that. I just tried to be in the present. During the final, I never saw which rank I was, who was leading the chart or how many points the other shooters got. I was not following any score in that final.

Strong support in final

"I felt the Swapnil who played in the earlier rounds and who was playing in the final, were completely different physically and mentally. I was a different shooter altogether confidence wise. Actually, I was enjoying it and felt very happy when supporters from behind shouted and celebrated my good effort. The feeling of my performance helping people of my country enjoy and celebrate makes it special. Then, I kept telling myself that I was doing well and I need to give every shot to them [supporters]. I did that before every shot and it helped me give my best," said Kusale of his maiden Olympic final experience.

Kusale claimed the shooting range at Balewadi in Pune is his second home and credited his personal coach ex-Olympian Deepali Deshpande and team for the achievement. "The Olympic medal was possible just because of my team. I was playing that game in Paris but all these people trained me to achieve that result.

"Deepali madam is like my mother. She has seen me since 2012 and knows everything - highs and lows of my career. She knows what I need even during practice or off the shooting range.

"My sports psychologist Vaibhav Agashe helps me keep my mental fitness, physio Sunita Jain is like my elder sister who always looks after my needs. Nutritionist Kalyani Mankar madam also helped me a lot to keep me fit. I must thank Aksahydada Ashtaputre, [who participated in the 2016 Munich World Cup], who has treated and helped me like his younger brother since 2014. Actually, these are my family members and the shooting range is my second home," Kusale, whose next competition is New Delhi ISSF World Cup Final in October 2024, signed off.