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Swapnil Kusale backs Indian league to expand shooting worldwide
Paris Olympics bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale reckons the upcoming Shooting League of India (SLI) will provide additional exposure to the sport not just in the country but all around the world.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the window for the inaugural edition of the SLI earlier this month. The tournament will be held from November 20 to December 2, and is expected to feature some of the biggest shooters from India and around the world.
Swapnil believes the tournament will help in further popularising the sport in India, especially after the contingent's success at 2024 Summer Games.
"After winning medals in Paris, the interest and knowledge is increasing in shooting as a sport," Swapnil, who is set to travel to Munich next moth for the ISSF World Cup, said on Thursday.
"The public in India have started understanding that there are different disciplines in shooting across pistol, rifle and shotgun. But still, the sport needs more exposure all over the world..
"We want school kids and grassroots level athletes to aspire to pick up the sport. Hence, we have to ensure that we perform well in this league so that the sport is seen in a different light," added, Swapnil who competes in the 50m Rifle 3 positions discipline.
In a historic achievement, Swapnil became the first Indian shooter to secure a medal in the 50m rifle 3 position (3P) event at the Olympics last summer..
The inaugural SLI will feature mixed team events in pistol (10M, 25M), rifle (10M, 50M 3P), and shotgun (trap and skeet), as decided by the NRAI technical committee.
Eight teams will be competing in the tournament, with four teams divided into two pools in the league stage. The selected players will be grouped into four tiers - elite champions, world elite, national champions, junior and youth championships - to strike a balance between experienced players and emerging talents.
Swapnil also explained how an athlete's mindset is switched differently in a league-styled environment as compared to when they are competing in national or international events.
"All the athletes are extremely excited because we have been competing in international and national tournaments for many years. But in a league, we have to carry a different mindset and we also gain a lot of exposure.
"The competition level also increases with top talent participating," the 29-year-old said.
"In competitions, while we are representing the national flag, we are participating in an individual capacity. In a league environment, we will be competing for a franchise and it will be a new challenge to play as per the team's direction and environment.
"Having unity among the players in a team will also be a crucial aspect and also helps in further elevating our performances," Swapnil added.
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