From a TTE in Railways to Olympic medallist: The inspiring journey of Swapnil Kusale

Chateauroux, Aug 1 (IANS) India's marksman Swapnil Kusale secured a bronze medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Swapnil qualified for the final round after finishing 7th with a total score of 590. 
 

Born in 1995, Swapnil Kusale hails from a humble agricultural background and is a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) with the Pune Railway Division.

His journey into the world of sports began in 2009 when his father enrolled him in Maharashtra government's Krida Prabodhini, a primary sports program aimed at nurturing young talent. After a year of rigorous physical training, Kusale chose shooting as his sport of focus. His decision proved fortuitous, as he quickly ascended through the ranks, becoming a sponsored athlete under the Lakshya Sports banner in 2013.

Kusale's early promise was evident when he clinched a gold medal in the 50m rifle prone 3 position junior category at the 2015 Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait. This victory was followed by an impressive performance at the 59th National Shooting Championship in Tughlakabad, where he outperformed seasoned shooters like Gagan Narang and Chain Singh to win gold in the 50m rifle prone event.

He replicated this success at the 61st National Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, securing another gold in the 50m rifle 3 positions event.

Kusale continued to build on his achievements, earning an Olympic quota for India with a fourth-place finish at the 2022 ISSF World Shooting Championships in Cairo. During the same competition, he contributed to a team bronze medal, underscoring his versatility and team spirit.

At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Kusale, alongside teammates Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Akhil Sheoran, won the team gold medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event.

Despite narrowly missing out on an individual medal, finishing fourth, Kusale's performance further cemented his status as one of India's top shooters.

In addition to his team successes, Kusale has also earned individual accolades, including a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Shooting Championships and a gold medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions team event at the 2024 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championships.

Achievements:

World Championship, Cairo (2022): Finished 4th to win Paris Olympics quota for country

Asian Games (2022): Gold in team event

World Cup, Baku (2023): Gold in mixed team event; two silver medals in individual & team events

World Championship, Cairo (2022): Bronze in team event

World Cup, New Delhi (2021): Gold in team event

--IANS

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