Swapnil Kusale extended India's medal tally to three on day 6 of the Paris Olympics 2024 by claiming a historic bronze in men’s 50m rifle 3 positions in Chateauroux. Kusale, a 28-year-old shooter from Maharashtra's Kolhapur, kept his composure and staged an impressive comeback in the medal event at the Summer Games 2024. In the eight-shooter final, Kusale shot an aggregate of 451.4 to seal the third spot in the standings.

He bounced back from sixth place to eventually bagging a podium finish at the Paris Games. Kusale was only 14 when he was picked in the Maharashtra government sports scheme. Keeping shooting as his preferred sport, Swapnil trained in Pune and he also worked with the Indian Railways. On Thursday, the Indian shooter etched his name into history books by securing the country's first Olympic medal in prone events.

Leading the congratulatory wishes on social media, five-time Olympian Abhinav Bindra said that Swapnil’s hard work, grit, and passion have truly paid off at the Paris Games 2024. “Absolutely thrilled for Swapnil’s epic bronze medal win in shooting at the Paris Olympics! Your hard work, grit, and passion have truly paid off. Competing at the highest level and coming away with a medal in shooting is a testament to your dedication and talent. You’ve made India so proud and shown everyone what chasing dreams is all about. The Paris 2024 Olympics has been an incredible event, and your achievement adds to its unforgettable moments. Here’s to many more victories and an amazing future ahead. Keep shining!,” the 2008 Olympic gold medallist added.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India also shared a special message for the Paris Games bronze medallist. “Etched in history! Swapnil Kusale becomes the first Indian to win a medal in 50M Rifle 3 positions at the Olympics. He bags the third bronze medal for India. #TeamIndia | #Cheer4Bharat | #IndiaAtParis24,” the apex cricket board of India mentioned.

Did you know?

Kusale's bronze was India's third medal (all in shooting) at the Paris Games. While India bagged its third bronze, China's Liu Yukun won gold in the men's 50-metre rifle three positions at the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old managed to break the world record twice in two days at the Baku World Cup in the build-up to the Summer Games. Yukun won China's fourth gold medal in shooting in Paris.

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