Nagoya, Sep 21 (IANS): Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil believes handling noise, pressure and rising heart rates is part of being a top shooter, with the Indian marksman crediting his team’s preparation for helping him stay composed while winning two medals at the Asian Games.
Patil claimed bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle individual event and was also part of India’s silver-medal-winning team at Aichi-Nagoya, adding to his growing collection of international honours.
The Indian shooter said the team had deliberately prepared for the conditions they encountered at the Games, including the humidity and rain, while also anticipating the vocal home support around the shooting range.
“This time our country gave us an opportunity to prepare well. Our camp was in Bhopal. In Bhopal, the same type of rain, the same type of atmosphere, the same type of humidity. We kept the audience behind us. They were screaming and trying to trouble us. We were in a rhythm and we knew that we would get so much noise and trouble. When we went to the finals, we were quite chill. We were feeling very homely and we were able to perform well,” Patil told IANS.
Rather than wanting a quieter environment, Patil said shooters should learn to embrace the noise and the heightened emotions that come with competing in front of a crowd.
“No, not silent. We will enjoy only when there is noise. If there is no noise, it will be boring for us too. We like the kick, we like the thrill. When the heart rate is increasing, the movement is increasing, then how can we score 10 in it. The best shooter is the one who can handle these movements. We would like to be the best shooters.”
Patil dedicated his medals to the country and said the support he has received through various government-backed programmes and Olympic Gold Quest has played an important role in his development.
“Medals are of course dedicated to the country. The country has done a lot for us. The more we can do for the country, the more responsibility we have.”
The 2022 world champion also highlighted the support he has received since joining the senior setup, saying he has been part of the TOPS and Khelo India programmes since 2020, while Olympic Gold Quest has supported him since the same year.
“I am very happy and proud that I have won two medals for my country. Bronze and Team Silver. Very happy,” Patil said.
He also had a message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose birthday coincided with the Games, saying the Indian shooting contingent had hoped to celebrate with a gold medal.
“Honourable Prime Minister Sir, we were unable to tweet on your birthday. We were unable to post a message on Instagram. We thought we would hit gold and wish you personally, but we missed the target. Next time we will do this, but very happy birthday to you.”
Patil signed off with a message for aspiring athletes, saying he hopes India’s medals can help someone overcome a difficult phase.
“For the country, I am just saying I sometimes feel very down. I always look forward. I always look up to the best players in our country, and I hope these medals inspire someone and help someone move from a low phase to an up phase.”
