Swapnil Kusale’s achievement has been widely celebrated, with accolades coming from across the spectrum.India’s President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the first to congratulate him.
“Heartiest congratulations to Swapnil Kusale for winning a bronze medal at Paris Olympics! He has become the first Indian to win a medal in Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions category. It is for the first time that India has won three medals in shooting events in the same Olympic Games. The entire shooting contingent has done India proud. I extend my best wishes to all our players for the upcoming events. I wish Swapnil Kusale wins more laurels in the future,” President Murmu tweeted.
Prime Minister Modi also shared his excitement, posting, “Exceptional performance by Swapnil Kusale! Congrats to him for winning the Bronze medal in the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the #ParisOlympics2024. His performance is special because he’s shown great resilience and skills. He is also the first Indian athlete to win a medal in this category. Every Indian is filled with happiness.”
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the significance of Kusale’s win.
“Congratulations to Swapnil Kusale for winning a historic BRONZE medal in the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the #ParisOlympics2024! The first Indian to win a medal in #Olympics in this event — your achievement makes us incredibly proud!” Mandaviya tweeted.
Olympic medallist and Indian contingent’s chef de mission, Gagan Narang, emphasized the groundbreaking nature of Kusale’s success.
“Swapnil has broken a glass ceiling. He has done it for all of us. I always thought he is an underdog, but I was confident he would do well. This medal is worth more than gold,” Narang stated on Jio Cinema.
Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, also praised Kusale’s determination.
“Absolutely thrilled for Swapnil’s epic bronze medal win in shooting at the Paris Olympics! Your hard work, grit, and passion have truly paid off. Competing at the highest level and coming away with a medal in shooting is a testament to your dedication and talent,” Bindra remarked in his tweet.
Former shooter Heena Sidhu described Kusale’s medal as an emotional victory, not just for him but for the entire shooting community.
“This was an emotional medal for all us shooters. 3p has been a tough nut to crack. Swapnil has created history by entering the Olympic final and then delivering the medal with such a spectacular performance. So so so proud of this young man!! We have waited for long for this one guys… This was Special!!” Sidhu expressed on social media.
In the Olympic final, Kusale finished behind China’s Yukun Liu, who scored 463.6, and Ukraine’s Serhiy Kulish, who recorded a score of 461.3, but his bronze remains a remarkable milestone in Indian shooting history.