Shooting | World Champion Rudrankksh Patil will stick to process for Paris glory

World Champion in air rifle, Rundrankksh Patil, who shot a world record 633.9 to lay a strong foundation for the Olympic quota, is only 18, but talks from rich experience.

Fielding the questions from the media with ease and answering with clarity in an interaction organised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Wednesday, Rudrankksh explained how he had “huge hunger” and peaked at the right time for the gold in World Championship after having placed seventh and 11th in the two World Cups in Baku and Cairo earlier in the season.

Rudrankksh also gave an insight into the support from the World and Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra apart from his mentor at the Gun For Glory Academy, the much accomplished Gagan Narang.

“I am in contact with both and they guide me well. They give me technical advice. Win or lose, learn from the experience, is their main advice”, he said.

Thankful for the best support from TOPS and the build up towards it after he won the Khelo India Games in Assam in 2020, Rundrankksh said that he was tuning his technique and approach by training with Heinz Reinkemeir and Gaby Buehlmann in Germany. The two husband-wife coaches had worked with Abhinav Bindra over the years.

Recalling that he broke through strongly in 2019, after finishing fourth in many competitions, Rudrankksh acknowledged the support by psychologist Dr. Anand Nadkarni in Mumbai, in training the sub-conscious mind.

Giving credit to everyone and the calming influence of the coaches, Rudrankksh said that he was following a process that has helped him be the best and would continue to follow it for the Paris Olympics.

Conceding that the Olympic quota belongs to the country and “the most deserving would go to the Paris Olympics in 2024”, Rudrankksh pointed out that there was excellent camaraderie in the Indian team, and that he would prepare his best to aim for glory in Paris.

= = = EOM