17 years ago, a medal was placed around my neck: Abhinav Bindra reminisces about 2008 Beijing Olympic glory
In a gripping finale of the men's 10m air rifle finals at the Beijing Games, Bindra was tied with Finland's Henri Hakkinen at the top of the standings with one shot remaining. Bindra held his nerve, scoring 10.8 with his last attempt - his highest score of the finals - to see off the challenge of Hakkinen and secure victory.
On the 17th anniversary of his trailblazing victory at the Summer Games, Bindra took to X to share his emotion. "17 years ago, a medal was placed around my neck, but it truly belonged to a nation. It was built on the love of my parents, the wisdom of my coaches, and the belief of countless people who stood beside me."
"My hope has always been that the gold shone far beyond that podium, lighting the way for every Indian athlete who dares to dream," he added.
The gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle at Beijing 2008 was the crowning glory in Bindra's stellar sporting career, which includes a World Championship gold and multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
Bindra hung up his rifle after the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he missed a podium spot by a tenth of a point after losing a shoot-off for the top three.
The legendary shooter, who featured in five Olympics (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016), was bestowed with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour, as recognition for his efforts in 2009.
Bindra is a member of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Athlete Commissions, where he has brought the participants' issues to the fore and helped them in their development.
During the IOC's Paris 2024 session, he became the first Indian to receive the Olympic Order, which is the highest award given by the IOC for meritorious services, for his outstanding contribution to the Olympic Movement.
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