The Hindu : Sport : Gagan Narang means business

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport

Gagan Narang means business

A. Joseph Antony

Training is different from competition

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

SOUND TEMPERAMENT: Nerves of steel on D-Day will come in handy for Gagan Narang, regarded as the coolest shooter in the Indian contingent.

A stone ring glistens on Gagan Narang’s right forefinger. That may seem a hindrance to pulling the trigger, all-important to his tribe of rifle-shooters. He’s not taking it off though, since it’s there simply to please his deeply religious mother.

An inch short of six feet, Gagan weighs 95kg.

In the sharp-shooting community, the Indian Airlines Assistant Manager may be seen as being a shade stocky.

Backing that view could be the chubby countenance that comes to settle on the cheek rest, as his right eye trains its sights on the target.

If Julius Caesar found lean and hungry looking men dangerous, he’d rule out any threat from this mild-mannered marksman.

When the world’s sharp-shooting elite converges on the Chinese capital next month, it wouldn’t take him as lightly though.

For, he’s beaten most of the world’s top guns, at one time or another. Will Gagan take them on all together and come out blazing in Beijing?

That may not be a distinct possibility, but it doesn’t look improbable either.

Big boost

A shot in the arm for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games quadruple gold medallist’s campaign for Olympic glory came earlier this month in Hanover during a training session, where he eclipsed World record holder Thomas Farnik’s tally of 703.1 with a stunning 704.3.

But then training sessions are a whole lot different from actual competition and that too in an Olympics. Yet, that Hanover performance could just be a peek at his preparedness for that ultimate of shots on sporting achievement.

Cool customer

To peak at the right time is a principle central to this high precision sport, where the slightest shiver may send a shot way off target.

Nerves of steel on D-Day will come in handy for Gagan, ranked the coolest under pressure in the Indian contingent.

“The Olympics is not the end of the road,” Gagan had said before setting out for China, evidence enough that he’s not overawed by the occasion, the array of arms or the illustrious assembly of men behind them.

For the 25-year-old computer graduate, sponsorship by Olympic Gold Quest, the brainchild of billiards and badminton maestros Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone, has taken a huge load off his shoulders.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport