India's Dream week at Paris Olympics: Swapnil Kusale bags bronze in 50m rifle 3 position shooting 3rd medal for India

Shooter Swapnil Kusale secured another bronze at Paris Olympics 2024, winning the third medal for India. He finished third in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final held at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux on Thursday.

The 28-year-old scored 195 in the standing position after achieving 156.8 in the prone and 153.3 in the kneeling positions. He had placed seventh in the qualifying round with a total score of 590, which included 38 inner tens (Xs) across the three positions.

With this achievement, Swapnil has made history as the first Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event.

The 50m rifle 3 Positions final consists of three rounds featuring 15 shots each. Following the 15 shots in kneeling, prone, and standing positions, an elimination round is held.

China's Y.K. Liu secured the gold medal with a score of 463.6 points, while Ukraine's S. Kulish took home the silver with 461.3 points. Kusale's remarkable achievement not only brought pride to India but also showcased his skill in shooting sports, reinforcing his reputation as a strong contender on the international scene.

This marks India's third medal in shooting; the first came on Monday when Manu Bhaker won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian shooter to claim an Olympic medal. Bhaker achieved another historic moment on Tuesday by securing a bronze with Sarabjot Singh in the 10m pistol mixed team event, making her the first Indian athlete since independence to win two medals in a single Olympic Games.

WHO IS SWAPNIL?

Swapnil Kusale, born in 1995 into an agricultural family, serves as a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) with the Pune Railway Division. His father introduced him to Maharashtra's Krida Prabhodini, a foundational sports program, where after one year of rigorous training, Kusale selected shooting as his sport.

In 2015, he earned a gold medal in the junior category for the 50m rifle prone 3 event at the Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait. He further distinguished himself at the 59th National Shooting Championship in Tughlakabad, where he outperformed noted shooters Gagan Narang and Chain Singh in the 50m rifle prone event. Kusale continued his victorious streak at the 61st National Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, clinching a gold medal in the 50m rifle 3 position event.