It will be tougher at Asian Games: Gagan Narang

He may have won four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games but Gagan Narang is not resting on his laurels. Ace shooter tells DNA that competition will be stronger at the Asian Games.

How has the morale been since the Commonwealth Games performance?
Winning medals obviously makes one feel good and the morale has been high. But after every win one needs to start afresh. I have gone back to the drawing board and started working on the basics again.
Four gold medals at CWG must be satisfactory.
I would not say so. I would have been satisfied with six but the other two weren’t for me to win, so they did not come to my kitty. Perhaps, I can make up for them in the Asian Games. Definitely, I hope to better the performance I delivered in Doha, four years back.
How does it feel to be India’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony?
It is a great honour. People of my fraternity have done this before and I know that it is an immensely proud moment. I was the flag bearer even at the CWG closing ceremony in Delhi.
How tough will the competition at the Asiad be?
It will be tougher than it was in Delhi. China is fielding a very good team. Then the shooters from erstwhile Russia too are very good.
Indian shooters did well in the CWG but it’s not the case when it comes to the world level.
Well, the fact of the matter is that it all comes with exposure and the right approach to the sport. Also the success of the rifle shooters can be credited to our coaches Sunny Thomas, Tibor Gonczol, Laszlo Szucsak and Stanislav Lapidus. I am sure, in the coming years, one will see more faces who are consistent at the top level.
You have a world record and World Championship medal. How difficult is it to win an Olympic medal?
Olympic medal is as difficult as getting a medal at the World Championship. There is no rocket science to cracking it, but one needs is to peak at the right time and plan for the right moves.
hat’s India’s future in the sport?
Indian shooting is going from strength to strength. The medals tally at the Commonwealth Games will testify that. The future is very bright. With a huge talent pool, India can stake claim to many more medals at the international competitions.
According to you what are the challenges facing Indian shooting and how can they be addressed?
Shooting, even today is looked upon as a past time. People take it up and then leave midway. Many take it up for college admissions but then do not pursue it. That is a big problem. Plus the facilities are still left wanting. Unless the infrastructure is robust and the shooters are provided with proper ammunition, creating champions won’t be easy.