To truly respect Abhinav Bindra’s art, you have to first understand the canvas he works on.
The card for a 10m air rifle target is a nine by nine cm square. The radius of the target inside it is 2.5 cm. In the centre of the target is a white dot, the size of a pinprick. A score of 10.9 is the highest achievable in the discipline. That is the score Bindra constantly strives to shoot to challenge for medals on the international stage.
Three years back, when Bindra retired from competitive shooting following the Asian Games and decided to keep himself in shape as a ‘hobby shooter’ with an eye on the Rio Games, we at SPORTS ILLUSTRATED INDIA were offered an exclusive look at India’s lone gold medallist’s training regime.
Shooting is a spiritual spectacle. If you have ever watched a shooter prepare for a shot, you understand what this means. Stillness descends upon everything around him or her. For a brief while, if you are in the presence of a shooter in motion, you reconsider drawing breath, fearing the noise it could possibly make.
The process is part ritual, part routine. When he stands at the target, weapon in hand, Bindra looks away. His mouth is at the body of the weapon. Does he speak to it? Impossible to tell. The weapon is an extension of his being.
Bu hikaye Sports Illustrated India dergisinin July 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Sports Illustrated India dergisinin July 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Hockey World Cup- India Gears Up For Glory
Hosts India will have to play out of their skins to win their second Hockey Men’s World Cup title.
The Drive For Consistency
Find something you love doing and use that to fall in love with your body, so you can embrace change and sustain a pattern that lets you unlock the best version of yourself
The Phenomenon
Kevin Pietersen may have retired from playing, but he will remain a part of the game and Test cricket folklore for a long time
Powering The Action
The IPL is intense. Players let off the fireworks on the pitch, but it is the coaches and support staff that light the fuses. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED traces the evolution of this critical aspect of the game, and why Indians still need to make a mark
A Steep Learning Curve
Making the transition from the junior level to the senior team has been quite challenging but a hugely rewarding experience.
Scorecard - Don't Blame It on Rio
Apathy towards the Olympics could cast golf in a negative light and jeo paradise its standing with the IOC for the 2024 Games and beyond.
Bench Strength
With the Likes of Nair, Yadav, Jadhav and Chahal Performing With Maturity Over the Past Year, Team India’s Bench Strength Looks Strong Ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Sir Roger Bannister (1929-2018)
A legend in his own time, Sir Roger was most proud of his neurology research but his historic sub-four mile run in 1954 is still regarded as one of his best breakthroughs
Battle Ready
A star-studded Indian contingent seeks to reshape its approach with rising talent, even as seasoned warriors in badminton, weight-lifting, shooting and wrestling aim for gold
Safe Passage
The Dustup That Marred the Return of Chris Paul to L.a. Has Faded. As the Point God Settles Into a New Home, He Has a New Running Buddy and a Group of Teammates Who Feel Like a Family
