The Hindu : Front Page : Rathore provides a silver lining

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004

Front Page

Rathore provides a silver lining

By Kamesh Srinivasan

— Photo: Vino John

A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR INDIAN SPORT: Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore put a smile on the face of every Indian sports fan as he shot his way to a silver medal in the Olympic double trap event in Athens on Tuesday.

ATHENS, AUG. 17. Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore held his nerves when it mattered and delivered a silver medal for India in the Olympic Games. The double trap marksman improved from being No. 5 at the end of the preliminary phase to finish second on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old Rathore shot a 179 out of 200, and it was an Olympic record 189 by Ahmed Almaktoum, a Prince from the United Arab Emirates, that kept Rathore away from the gold. "He was too far ahead. I had no chance of catching up with him," said Rathore, quite pleased with his silver medal.

It was a fight for the lesser medals in any case as Almaktoum had taken a six-point lead over the second placed Hakan Dahlby of Sweden before the final. Not just the Swedish shooter but the rest were unable to handle the final as well as Rathore and Almaktoum did, with rounds of 44 and 45, to richly deserve the Olive wreath on their heads.

Rathore had beaten Almaktoum in the Masters Cup in the Czech Republic recently in the final international competition before the Olympic Games. He had also won a World Cup in Sydney earlier this year, apart from the Asian Championship in Bangkok.

"I am happy to have won the Olympic silver medal. It is not just for me but for the sport in the country and for the people of India," Rathore said.

Ever since he won the bronze medal in the World Championship last year, Rathore has been a sure prospect for an Olympic medal.

He vindicated the faith placed in him by the sporting fraternity and the Union Government, which supported him wholeheartedly.

In Indian sports, many promise, but few deliver. Rathore became the first individual silver medallist of independent India, a big leap for the nation, after the bronze medals won by Leander Paes in Atlanta and Karnam Malleswari in Sydney.

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