His major opponents include world No 1 Hakan Dahlby from Sweden, defending Olympic champion Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates, Sydney Olympic gold medalist Richard Fauld from Britain and Chinese Olympic debutant Hu Binyuan. He has also been guided in career by Atlanta Olympic gold medalist Russell Mark of Australia.īut like Chinese shooter and gold medal hopeful Du Li painfully discovered, an Olympic favorite can never take a gold medal for granted.
He got the chance to compete in the Olympics after winning a bronze medal at the World Championship in Cyprus. Major Rathore received the Sword of Honour from Indian Military Academy in 1990 and fought against separatist militants in the Kargil War 1999.īut the father-of-two only took up competitive shooting in 1998 just after his marriage to an army doctor. Rathore heeded his mother's wishes and qualified for the army, in which he picked up a rifle for the first time.Ī military career proved very successful and he quickly rose up the ranks. He was a good cricket player but his mother discouraged his typical Indian passion for the game because she feared he would ignore his school book. I guess I'm more popular than before I just want to do my best for my country now, nothing for myself personally," he told the Olympic News Service before the Games in Beijing.įriends and family describe the sharp shooter as a soft-spoken and down to earth man, who was given the nickname 'Chilly' as a boy.
"The (silver) medal did bring me some fame in India. He was the only Indian athlete on the list, which also includes superstars such as US basketball player LeBorn James, Chinese diver Guo Jingjing, Jamaica's Asafa Powell and Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice. Indian shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore wants more for India in Bejing Games.
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