Bindra clinches India's first individual Olympic gold

Beijing, Aug 11 (PTI) World champion Abhinav Bindra
clinched India's first ever individual gold medal at the
Olympics, winning 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Games
here Monday.

The 25-year-old, who qualified fourth for the event, shot
an overall score of (596+140.5) 700.5 in a thrilling finale
which went right down to the last shot.

Bindra's historic feat makes him India's first-ever
individual gold medallist, bettering the silver medal feat of
double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Athens 2004.

"He is the best shooter in the world and I think his is a
morale boosting feat for everyone in the contingent," a
jubilant Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi
said after Bindra's win.

"We are all very happy. He is a very hardworking athlete.
The entire shooting contingent is celebrating. We are very
proud of him and it is just the beginning," national coach
Sunny Thomas said.

"Abhinav is a very calm and composed guy and doesn't get
very excited," Thomas added.

Bindra had earlier won the gold medal in 2002 Commonwealth
Games in the pairs event and silver in the individual event.

The silver in the event went to Chinese Zhu Qinan (699.7)
while Finland's Henri Hakkinen (699.4) had to be content with
a bronze.