Paris 2024: Swapnil Kusale bags bronze in 50m 3P rifle shooting

New Delhi: Swapnil Kusale won India their third medal of the ongoing Paris Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the high-quality 50m 3P final, in Chateauroux on Thursday. So far, all of India’s medals in Paris has come from the shooting range, marking a memorable comeback for the shooters who had misfired in the Rio and Tokyo Games.
The 3P event is competed across kneeling, prone and standing positions and comprises of three series of five shots each in kneeling and prone. Elimination begins after the 40th shot — the second standing series — when two shooters exit. Thereafter, each shit is an elimination shot until the winner is decided.
Here’s a blow by blow account of how the final transpired:
Kneeling position
Kusale started off with a 9.6 and never really go going in the first series to finish with 50.8. He followed it up with another similar series — totalling 50.9. But he did claw back the gap a bit 51.6 in his third series. He was in sixth position and knew that he would have to work up a head of steam in the prone position, which was up next. His total was 153.3.
Prone position
It was a little better second time around. He started off with a series of 52.7, followed it up with 52.2 and then finished it off with 51.9. The total score of 310.1 kept him in fifth position. Only the standing position was left and sometimes, things change quite radically there.
Standing
The shooters take their standing position after a nine-minute break. Two series of five shots each to follow. Two shooters will be eliminated after the 40th shot, or tenth shot of the standing series, following which one shooter will exit after every shot. Norway’s 25-year-old John Hermann in the lead with 312.1 followed by China’s Yukun Liu at 311.5. Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine third at 311.1. India’s Kusale fifth at 310.1.
Kusale moves to fourth with 361.2 while the Chinese takes the top spot after first five shots. Kusale pulls out 10.6 and 10.3 as the scoreboard changed frenetically. Kusale shoots a 9.1 but recovers with 10.1 and 10.3. After 40 shots, Serbian and Polish exit. Kusale moves to third with 411.6 behind Ukrain’s Kulish and China’s Yukun 412.5.
Elimination begins after each shot.
Sith place elimination
Kusale shots 10.5 to keep his third lace at 422.1 as France’s Lucas exits
Fifth place Elimination
Hits a 9.4 but manages to keep his spot. Norwegian exits (430.2).
Fourth place
Hits a 9.9, but survives. Czech exits, meaning medal assured for India!
Third place
Kusale hits 10, Kulish gets 9.9 which means Kusale wins the bronze medal with 451.4.
Gold medal place
China’s Yukun and Ukraine’s Kulish to go for the top spot. The Chinese shoots 9.9 (463.6) and the Ukrainian responds with a 10 but the Chinese takes the gold. Kulish gets silver.