Bindra becomes first Indian to win individual Olympic gold
11 Aug 2008
Mumbai: Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra has created history today, by becoming the first Indian to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics. The occasion was the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and Bindra won the gold in in the 10m air rifle event. He shot a total of 705.5 points to clinch the title from China's Zhu Qinan, gold medalist at Athens 2004.The bronze medal was won by Finland's Henri Hakkinen.
Though India had won 8 gold medals in Olympics (all in hockey), it never managed any individual gold medals. This is the first time any Indian won a gold medal as an individual in any event in the Olympics. The last time India won a gold medal was in the 1980 Moscow Olympics in field hockey.
It is indeed a very proud moment for a nation, sadly deprived of world-class sports personalities. The Indian tri-colour was displayed in all its glory and the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana...' played in the background, in the shooting arena in Beijing, soon after Bindra collected his gold medal. Finally it was a sweet taste of success for Bindra who failed to win a medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, even though he broke the Olympic record.
Bindra's rise to glory in shooting started in the 2001 Munich World Cup, where he bagged a bronze medal. A gold medal in the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games was another highlight is his rising career. However his greatest success prior to the Olympic success came in July 2006 when Bindra became the first Indian shooter to win a gold in the shooting World Championships in Zagreb; a feat which also ensured him an automatic berth in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Bindra is a recipient of the Rajiv-Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2001-02.
