LONDON: Gagan Narang is a tall, portly, fair man with red cheeks. He looks like a successful businessman with a relaxed, nonchalant air about him.
The 29-year-old had serious business to attend to on Monday morning. He came to the Royal Artillery Barracks at 9am near Woolswich Arsenal with his air rifle in tow at the 10m hall, and made it do some serious talking at station No. 15.
Three hours later, he was in the final hall and went through a roller coaster ride before firing his last shot and then turning around to wave in relief as a packed hall roared in thunderous approval.
The man from Hyderabad had got that "huge stone off my chest" on his way to clinching India's first medal at the London Games here, a priceless bronze. Beijing gold medallist and defending champion Abhinav Bindra failed to make the final, slipping in the final series with three 9s, succumbing to time pressure.
Narang had won the Asian gold, the Commonwealth gold and even the World championship gold. This was what he wanted desperately. His eyes had spoken volumes four years ago in Beijing when he tied for the eight spot but missed the final berth on a count-back. "My time will come", they said. Well, there were no countbacks on Monday, no nerves, no misgivings -- just plain, simple fearless shooting. And Narang's eyes were shining in relief when he walked out into the mixed zone, a huge smile on his face.
He started off slowly, with perfect scores (100) in the first two series in qualification. Bindra was already finishing his third round. He was fourth and Bindra 10th. Soon, Bindra moved up to seventh after the fourth series while Gagan stumbled. He missed his seventh and last shots in the third series for a 98 and slipped to the 11th spot.
His coach Stanislas Lapidus said something, and he nodded and was back at his business. He was back at No. 6 after the fourth series of 100. He clung on it as the countdown began. "10 minutes to go," said the referee. That was enough for him to finish his series with another perfect score. 598/600 was a brilliant score and he was third in the qualification. He has done the perfect bit (600/600) before but this was a different stage altogether. Bindra had by then picked up his rifle and walked away.
With qualification scores added in the finals, Narang had given himself a shot at the gold. The first two - Italy's Nicolo Campriani and Romania's Alin George Modoveanu - were just a point ahead.
The final, comprising of 10 shots each, swung like a yo-yo. Narang started with a 10.7 and the crowd roared as he moved up to the second spot. His next shot was a poor 9.7 and he was down to fourth.
He then followed it up with 10.6, a 10.7 and 104 and was third, just 0.1 point behind the Italian. He slipped to fourth again after a 9.9 with his seventh spot. Tension was mounting and Narang shot a shocking 9.5.
"It's over man," said an agonizing journalist sitting in the front row. Well, it was not. The others too succumbed to pressure. Narang followed it with a 10.3 and with China's Tao Wang and Dutchman Peter Hellenbrand breathing down his neck, he finished with a 10.7, kick-starting celebrations in the hall packed with Indian journalists, fans and officials.
Narang, unlike Bindra did not hide his emotions. He waved, blew kisses and smiled on the podium like a young boy who had got a long cherished prize - it was a coveted medal and long due.
Critics, these past few years, made him a medal contender and then hanged him saying he was mentally not tough enough. He went into a shell four months ago, refusing to talk to journalists. He refused to reply to mails from Hanover before coming to London. On Monday, he was willing to talk to anyone who chased him, hugged him, kissed him. As he later said, this medal has made him complete.
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