10 spectacular feats achieved by Indian Shooter Gagan Narang
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Ace Indian shooter Gagan Narang turning 36, today, has overcome several obstacles in his career to achieve his dreams and inspiring many of Indians to pursue a career in the shooting which was not even known sport at that time.
The Indian shooter had to overcome both Beijing’s heartbreak and the added pressure of being the sole shooting medal hope for the country in the final round at London 2012. He has gone on to add more glories to his already-stacked medals and trophy cabinet and is a national sports icon. Let's take a look at his spectacular achievements in all these past years.
- Gagan Narang was the first Indian to grab a gold medal in Afro-Asian Games when he won the men's 10m air-rifle event in the shooting competition, which began in Hyderabad in 2003.
- In 2006, Narang won four gold medals in different competitions - Men's 10m Air Rifle, Men's 10m Air Rifle (Pairs) with Abhinav Bindra, Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions, Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions (Pairs) with Abhinav Bindra.
- Gagan had scripted history in 2008 by winning gold in the 10m air rifle event in the World Cup finals as he had scored 703.5 with a perfect 600 in the qualifying and 103.5 in the final to break Austria's Farnik Thomas's record, set in the 2006 World Cup final.
- Gagan had picked up four gold medals in Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi. He first won the pairs event with Abhinav Bindra and then beat the Olympic Champion to win the individual 10m rifle gold. He added two more to his kitty, one with Imran Hassan Khan in 50m air rifle pairs and a second individual gold in 50m rifle.
- Gagan had clinched a silver medal at the Asian Games 2010. He also added another silver in the team event with Abhinav Bindra and Sanjeev Rajput. He won both of his silvers on the opening day of the Asian Games.
- With winning four gold medals each in 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games, he holds a rare record of winning four shooting medals in successive Commonwealth Games events.
- Gagan had won five medals in different ISSF World Cup including three gold medals -in 2009 at Changwon (50m rifle 3 Positions), 2008 at Bangkok (10m air rifle), in 2006 at Guangzhou (10m air rifle) and two bronze medals- in 2008 at Beijing (10m air rifle) and in 2009 at Changwon (10m air rifle)
- Gagan being the sole shooting medal hope for the country was the first Indian to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. He had won a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle event with a total score of 701.1 and becoming India's first medal winner at the 2012 games.
- Gagan had won 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal in 50-meter rifle prone and 50-meter rifle 3 positions respectively at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
- Gagan was awarded the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2011 for his amazing contributions to the shooting.
