Indian sports officials confident of double-digit haul at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

India’s top sports officials from different federations are confident that India will return with a rich medal haul from the upcoming Tokyo Olympics that commences from 24 July. While Raninder Singh, the president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is hopeful that the shooters will bring “4-10 medals”, Narinder Batra, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president, too predicted a double-digit haul.

“Anywhere between 4 to 10 medals. I have faith in my athletes,” Raninder replied when asked about how many medals that Indian shooters will bring home.

His views come after Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra had stated that the shooters from India have the potential to win multiple medals at the Summer Games, including a gold. The number of Olympic quota spots earned in shooting for the Games from India is currently at a record 15 after a successful 2019 where the Indians topped major of the Rifle and Pistol World Cups besides pitching in with a good showing at the season-ending World Cup Finals.

After returning with no medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics - the first time since 2000 that the sport of shooting did not fetch India a medal in the multi-national event - Bindra was hopeful of an improved showing in Tokyo.

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, who has voiced his views of making India a sporting powerhouse in the next few years, once again spoke about how working at the grass root level is the key to improving the endurance, strength, technique and the mental ability of an athlete. Speaking at a book launch, Rijiju also talked about his aim of helping India finish in the top 10 at the Olympics by the 2028 Olympics.

“We should be talking about figuring in the top five at the Olympics. But I am not using this top five finish yet. I am talking about top 10 in 2028. But we have to work on that,” Rijiju had said.