Abhinav Bindra, One in a Billion Gold Medallist in Olympic History

Born on 28^th September 1982, and a Business Administration graduate from Colorado, USA, Abhinav Bindra rewrote Indian history by winning Gold Medal in individual event of 10meter air rifle shooting at Beijing Olympics on Monday the 11^th August’08, surpassing the individual Silver Medallist and teammate Rajyavardhan Rathore’s Athens Olympic performance in 2004.

Abhinav scored a total of 700.5 points out of 709 points to defeat Qinan Zhu of China who claimed silver, when Henri Hakinnen of Finland tied to Abhinav at 689.7 points each in the ninth shot, collapsed in the final shot to score a poor 9.7 and slipped to third position behind Qinan Zhu.

For Abhinav, who was in the fourth slot after the qualifier scoring 596, it was a stunning recovery to clinch a first-ever individual gold medal in Olympics for the globes second most populous nation of over a billion. But the new hero was cool and composed, unfazed and unaffected by something that others would die for.

When asked by the reporters, the golden boy said, “Can’t really describe how I felt at that moment but I hope this would change the face of Olympic sports in our country.”

“So what next Abhinav? Eye on London 2012? a reporter asked in Beijing. “Oh, give me a break. Let this go over first” said the champion.

For Abhinav it was the third Olympics after Sydney and Athens, and he arrived in Beijing as somewhat underdog ranking 17^th in world order. But while winning the top slot, he left behind more glamorous team-mates like Anjali Bhagwat, Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Maneshar Singh.

In the evening, Abhinav facing reporters in Beijing said, “This medal is for my parents,” expressing gratitude for their supports all along and hoped that now on our government would show a little more patience and belief in athletes when they are down instead of hustling them into oblivion.

Back home, the country was in ecstasy with people pouring on streets, dancing, hugging and even kissing strangers. His mom, Babli Bindra, was quite right when she said, “ Yes, I have already started the search (for bride) as he is the most eligible bachelor in the country now.”

Here it will be worthwhile to mention that the sport of air rifle shooting is very costly and Abhinav’s father being a very rich man expended about million doller on his training, including a foreign coach and an air conditioned indoor shooting range with computerised target shifting arrangement. How many of Indians can afford that. He is lucky too that way.