Sydney bolstered Olympic gold belief: Bindra
His maiden performance in the Olympics at the 2000 Sydney Games may have been forgettable but Abhinav Bindra has said it increased his belief of winning a gold medal in the mega-event.
Bindra was only 17 while competing in Sydney. Eight years later, at the Beijing Olympics, the air rifle shooter became the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal.
“I went to five Olympic Games and my favourite is Sydney. Why I enjoyed the Sydney so much, because of the people of Australia. For me Sydney was special, I finished 10th or 11th at those games. My performance at Sydney gave me the belief that one day perhaps I can go and win the gold medal,” Bindra said in Mumbai on Monday.
The 34-year-old remains the country’s lone individual Olympic gold medallist, finishing on top in the 10m air rifle and Events Queensland media conference to announce the launch of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Quest. He said the CWG has its own importance.
“The Commonwealth Games are an important benchmark in the career path of an athlete. The three multi-sporting disciplines, Commonwealth, Asian and Olympic Games are each a stepping stone and each one is important. The level, competitions differ event to event, but they all are important.
“I won nine medals at the Commonwealth Games but I ended up winning my first individual gold at the last games (2014 Glasgow),” he said.
Asked whether eight years should be given to an athlete to have a shot at an Olympic medal, Bindra said, “It takes about eight years to develop as an Olympic athlete, very few athletes actually who go there win medal in their first Games.
“Ten thousand athletes compete at an Olympic Games, only 300 go back with a gold medal, the number is very, very less. It takes time for an athlete to develop, you have to give the athletes a chance and time to develop and go there.
“The experience which they gain from their first Games, they may not (win) a medal, but adds to experience which will help them to go and win in perhaps the next Games,” he added.
The 34-year-old remains the country’s lone individual Olympic gold medallist, finishing on top in the 10m air rifle event