Cool & calculated, his work ethics stood out

I think 2004 was an extremely disappointing moment. I was doing really well but the unstable floor below my position at the range upset my rhythm. It was heartbreaking. But time was the best healer and I got my energy and motivation back for 2008. The role of my family and my coaches was important and they remained very positive.

Athens (which hosted the 2004 Olympics) also taught me to remain detached from the outcome. I became a processoriented athlete; one who believed in giving it his best shot and not bothering about the outcome. When I went to Beijing, my goal was to do the best with every shot. The outcome was not important, the process was. That change only happened because of my Athens experience… that detachment came from there. In those four years I started delving into the minutest detail in my training. That unstable floor at Athens taught me to take everything terrible in my stride. I started going into every possible detail in my training, and there were a thousand details. I glued rubber from Ferrari tyres on my shoes as some research had shown that it had the highest anti-skid properties. The hall in Beijing was massive. In India and elsewhere, the competition rooms are small. A hall, as the one in Beijing, has a great impact on reference point and orientation. You get lost in a big hall. So, I hired a marriage hall for training. Basically, I tried to incorporate every possible variable in my training. Here’s a look at how Bindra, starting fourth in the final, finished on top after 10 shots

Abhinav Bindra(ind)

Zhu Qinan(chn)

Henri Hakkinen (FIN)

Shots It was always my biggest dream to win the Olympic gold. At 13-14, it seemed a distant dream. But it began taking shape when at 17, I was competing and doing well. There were failures, but the ability to remain honest helped me keep the goal in sight. I cannot be 100 per cent sure (whether it was tampering). But looking back, it was a blessing in disguise. It helped me focus even more. Initially, it was nervewracking with only a few minutes to get the rifle in order. But I did not give up and ended up shooting the best 10 shots in my life. The way I responded, the timing, the technique… they were the 10 best shots of my life. The incident took my concentration to the next level. My goal was to shoot every shot to the best of my ability. As I said, I have no attachment to the outcome. The gold, or that episode, doesn’t give me goose pimples. But the way I shot, gives me happiness.

just so focused being in the present. I wanted to share an honest account of my journey. I was not a talented athlete but had the ability to work hard. I was just an ordinary person, with all the insecurities others face. The motivation behind the book was to present a very honest account of myself. By the time I quit, I had a good amount of clarity on what I was doing. I had a fair idea of whatever little I had was diminishing. I could still be shooting; I could still make the team. But, frankly, it was about accountability. The country would have asked questions of me, had I failed. I failed in Rio; I thought it was time to give others a chance. It was the right time to move on. It’s a matter of time before we have another Olympic champion. Athletes should remain brutally honest about their goal. The Olympics come every four years but aspiring medallists need to wake up with the same enthusiasm day in and day out as if they were competing in the Olympics.

Igo back to 1996 when a young boy in a shimmering Merc came to the Karni Singh shooting range. My first impression was that of another rich brat who just wanted to play with guns. Little did I know then that the 14-year-old would be my toughest competitor — and a friend — in the next couple of months!

As an air rifle shooter, I happened to share the podium with Abhinav on many occasions. My first competition alongside Abhinav was the 1997 National Championship in Delhi. Abhinav shot 568 to win gold. I managed silver with 564. From 1996 to 2000, we were a core group of about five shooters who dominated the scene.

Abhinav then opted to train abroad. Our next competition was the 2000 Nationals at Phillaur. He made us look like novices. He had 590-plus scores. We could barely manage 570-580.

He is a man of few words and this trait goes against him. People say he is snobbish. But actually he is a warm guy. There is one incident I fondly remember. We participated in the Masters meet in Mumbai (1999), where I won silver and he — what else — gold. The winner got ~5,000 and the runner-up ~3,000. The envelopes got swapped. He first congratulated me and then asked for his envelope. That showed he valued his achievement, however small it was.

During a camp in Bangalore he had advised me to buy a new rifle with better technology, which I did as he was updated of the new equipment available. He is very helpful and likes to share his knowledge and experience with others.

We shot again at the World Cup in Korea (2003). On the morning of the match we met in the hotel lobby. The first question from him was if I had enough sleep to which I replied only three hours. I threw back the question to him and his reply was none. He has a good sense of humour and can make tense situations light.

We didn’t want to waste time waiting for the official transport so we decided to take the cab. Abhinav is a great one to make his own system of things to achieve better results. I thought it was a free ride but on arrival at the range he quickly calculated and asked each one to pool in their share. He likes to keep things simple and straight. He talks straight just like he shoots straight.

In the match he shot a 596/600 and missed bronze by 0.1 point but was, as usual, very cool about it. I felt bad he had missed a medal by the slimmest possible margin but he was quick to pack up and head to the hotel.

Abhinav never liked wasting time at the range. When he would not shoot he moved out quickly. He has been the most disciplined and hard working shooter I have come across. At national camps, he would reach earlier than the reporting time. His name would always be on top in the entry register. Such was his discipline that even officials had to raise their standard when Abhinav was around. He commanded respect from all. While others at the range, in order to be in the good books, would touch the feet of senior shooting officials, Abhinav would address them as Mr or Mrs. He believed in letting his rifle do the talking.

During the 2004 Athens Olympics, he was in great form but was unlucky to get the firing point which had a faulty floor. That cost him a medal. Abhinav fought a crippling back problem to create history by becoming India’s first world champion in 2006 (Zagreb). How serious Abhinav’s back problem was could be gauged from the fact that he took a year-long break.

Coming into Beijing, did anyone know about his preparations? He was the tiger that slayed the dragon. Few shooters can claim to have clinched the World Championship and the Olympic gold before the age of 26. In Rio, Abhinav again showed the hunger to win. The tagline on his Twitter handle read “2016 Olympic medal wannabe”.

Abhinav, you lost the shoot-off but for me, you are better than the best. You are the greatest Olympian for India.

Writer is a former India shooter and Abhinav Bindra’s teammate