'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India's premier 10m air rifle shooter Apurvi Chandela has mentioned that it was Abhinav Bindra's gold medal-winning effort at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games that inspired her to take up the sport.
Apurvi Chandela spoke at length about her shooting career to date, including how she took up the sport, in an exclusive interaction with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda Live.
On being asked how she took up shooting, Apurvi Chandela responded that she had started a bit late at the age of 16, considering that the shooters are taking up the sport at a very young age now.
The 27-year-old recalled watching Abhinav Bindra bag his Olympic gold medal while she was at a restaurant and the euphoria surrounding the feat.
"I was 16 when I started shooting, which is considered pretty late now because children are picking up sport really early. It was in 2008 when Abhinav Bindra Sir won the Gold at the Olympics."
"It was my mother's birthday that day and we were at a restaurant and on the TV we saw that Abhinav Bindra had won an Olympic Gold. That's when I saw the excitement that everyone had, everyone was really proud that he has won a Gold for the country."
Apurvi Chandela added that she had watched an interview of Abhinav Bindra post his exploits at the Beijing Olympic Games. The gold medallist had displayed a reserved and quiet nature that was quite similar to her personality, which made her feel that she could also take up rifle shooting.
"Post that, a few months down the line I was watching one of his interviews. And there I thought that I could pick up this kind of sport because I thought my nature was a little similar to his, the way he came across in the interview. So, I thought that may be I can become a rifle-shooter."
"I showed interest in that and I told my parents that I want to pick up rifle-shooting. They took me to the nearby range in Jaipur and I tried my hand at both rifle and pistol shooting and that's how I began rifle shooting."
Apurvi Chandela on her interactions with Abhinav Bindra
Apurvi Chandela was further asked about her first meeting with Abhinav Bindra in which her parents had to force her to go and speak to him. She responded that she was hesitant to speak to her fellow 10m air rifle shooter due to her introverted nature.
"I was an introvert, so I was pretty shy. So I was thinking what am I going to say to him, when I meet him. I was in Germany for my first international competition and that's where I saw him for the first time, it was in 2010. Then my parents said that there is Abhinav Bindra, why don't you go and meet him and talk to him."
Apurvi Chandela shared that her parents helped her in breaking the ice and that she was thrilled to have gotten a photograph clicked with him.
"I was a bit reluctant, it is Abhinav Bindra, how can I just go and talk. That's when they took me out there and I got my photo opportunity out there and I got a picture clicked with him. I was extremely happy, I told him that I am a big fan and I started shooting looking at him."
On being asked what Abhinav Bindra had said to her that day, Apurvi Chandela replied that he had wished her luck while adding that it was only a brief interaction as he had his event that day.
"He wished me luck for my match and all the best for my future. He had a match that day as well, so we didn't get to talk much. But the little that he said also stuck by me."
Apurvi Chandela mentioned that she was fortunate to have participated in her first Olympic Games at Rio in 2016 along with her idol and also to have won a gold medal with him at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"I was lucky enough to play my first Olympics with him in Rio 2016. Even in 2014, both of us won Gold at the Commonwealth Games. These are some memorable moments that will always stay with me."
Apurvi Chandela was also asked about the incident when Abhinav Bindra was impressed with her shooting and had told her that she had reached the highest level. She responded that India's only individual Olympic gold medallist had written a mail to her after she had won a medal at the World Cup in South Korea, bagging a quota place for the Rio Olympics in the process.
"I got a mail from him actually when I won my first World Cup medal which was in 2015 in South Korea. That's where I won my quota for the 2016 Olympic Games."
Apurvi Chandela revealed that Abhinav Bindra had congratulated her for the achievement while also offering his help for any guidance as and when required.
"That's when I got a mail from him saying congratulations and asking me that if I need any guidance or advise, I could always get in touch with him. He was really helpful throughout."
Apurvi Chandela is one of India's brightest medal prospects in shooting at the Tokyo Olympics 2021. She has displayed her consistency over the last one year by bagging five medals, including three golds, at the various World Cups.
