Rifle ace Gagan Narang is hoping to be third time lucky and experience the “heroic” feeling of winning on the planet’s biggest sporting event in the upcoming London Olympics after two unsuccessful attempts in Athens and Beijing.
Since missing out on the final by a point in the Beijing Games fours summers ago, Narang has gone on to win numerous medals in the ISSF World Cups, World Championship, Commonwealth Games and the Asiad, besides creating a new world record in 2008.
“I have been unlucky twice (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), hope I get third time lucky,” Narang told PTI.
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“An athlete’s ultimate ambition is to win and I am determined to go all the way and do whatever it takes,” the genial medal hopeful from Hyderabad adds.
Narang will be representing India along with Beijing Games gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra in their pet event – 10-metre air rifle on July 30.
Besides 10-metre, Narang is also competing in 50-m Rifle Prone (August 3) and 50-m Rifle 3 Position (August 6), giving himself enough chances of winning a medal at the Royal Artillery Barracks.
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Going by his form over the past couple of years, Narang stands a realistic chance of standing on the podium in London, and the experience of having represented his country in two previous Olympics only adds to the hopes and expectations.
“Olympics is everyone’s dream. We know what’s coming. We have come a long way. All I can say after representing the country twice already is that I have better control keys,” he says.