Gold Medal for INDIA in Olympics 2008

A star-starved nation found a new sporting icon in a bespectacled marksman as Abhinav Bindra shot his way to history, winning India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal in the 10m air rifle event on Monday. World champion Abhinav Bindra clinched India's first ever individual gold medal at the Olympics, winning 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Games here today.



The 25-year-old, who qualified fourth for the event, shot an overall score of (596+140.5) 700.5 in a thrilling finale which went right down to the last shot.

Bindra's historic feat makes him India's first-ever individual gold medallist, bettering the silver medal feat of double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Athens 2004.

"He is the best shooter in the world and I think his is a morale boosting feat for everyone in the contingent," a jubilant Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi said after Bindra's win.

"We are all very happy. He is a very hardworking athlete. The entire shooting contingent is celebrating. We are very proud of him and it is just the beginning," national coach Sunny Thomas said.

"Abhinav is a very calm and composed guy and doesn't get very excited," Thomas added.

A 10.6 on his seventh attempt earned him the lead and Bindra held on to it. He then scored a 10.0, 10.2 and finally a 10.8 to clinch the first berth.

His scores in the ten rounds of the finals were: 10.7, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.5, 10.5, 10.6, 10.0, 10.2, 10.8.

Local favourite and defending champion Qinan Zhu of China won silver, while Finland's Hakkinen won bronze.

Final scores: Abhinav Bindra 700.5 (596+104.5). Qinan Zhu 699.7 (597+102.7). Henri Hakkinen 699.4 (598+101.4).

Fellow Indian Gagan Narang too almost made it to the final but was ruled out on countback. Gagan scored 595, levelled at the fifth place but lost out on a final place in countback. He finished ninth.