‘I feel fine but I am tired and therefore want to go home. The Asian Games is officially over for me.’
‘The tweet is very easy to understand, I don't know what the confusion is.’
‘You complain I don't talk; here, I am giving information and there's a problem.’
‘Relief is not the emotion I am feeling; I feel happy!’
After capping off a remarkable career as a full-time marksman by winning two bronze medals at the Asian Games, in Incheon, on Tuesday, Abhinav Bindra, India's lone individual Olympic gold medallist, declared he will only be a 'hobby shooter' from now on.
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Having broken the Asiad jinx by winning a bronze in the men's 10m air rifle individual event, after piloting the Indian team to a third place finish, Bindra, referring to Monday's post on Twitter, indicated that his career as a serious exponent is over.
"The tweet is very easy to understand. I don't know what the confusion is. I said that for 20 years I have been a professional shooter living a life where I did nothing but shoot day in and out, training my heart out. But, from tomorrow, I am a hobby shooter and will train twice a week; that's it," Bindra said.
He made it clear that it was a well thought-out decision and not a spur of the moment one.
"It was not a sudden decision. I don't know how I will do (as a hobby shooter), as I have always been a shooter who has given his best," he added.
Asked about the Rio Olympics, he said, "I have just answered the question. What can I say about the Rio Olympics?"
However, he was not emphatic whether this was his last major meet or not.
"May be, I don't know," he said.
He said he tweeted to make the public know his feelings.
"I just wanted to bring out my feelings to the public eye. You complain I don't talk; here, I am giving information and there's a problem."
‘Relief is not the emotion I am feeling; I feel happy’
The shooter, who had won a historic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, nurtures hopes of qualifying for the Rio Games but without the sort of dedication needed to practice the art day in and out.
"I will still go to the domestic trials and see if I can make the team and I will only compete at the World Cup, if I am at a certain level.
"I don't want to go to the World Cup shooting 620. If I am able to shoot at the level I am shooting at the moment I will make an attempt, otherwise I will perhaps give my chance to the next person," said Bindra.
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who powered the country to the team bronze in the company of teammates Sanjeev Rajput and Ravi Kumar while qualifying for the final, shot 187.1 to take the individual honour.
Bindra said he was happy with his effort and the result in the Asian Games.
"There is no question of relief; I did a good job. Relief is not the emotion I am feeling; I feel happy!
"I think I shot very well in the final. I shot very well in the competition. I worked very hard and had a fine day.
"I am absolutely delighted with what I have achieved. In shooting there's nothing within the reach, it has to happen. That's how it happens in this sport. I implore you to watch more shooting; you will understand it much better. This is exactly how it happens all the time," he added.
'Asian Games officially over for me'
He said as far as he is concerned the Games are history.
"I feel fine, but I am tired and, therefore, want to go home. The Asian Games is officially over for me. Perhaps I will catch it on TV."
Looking ahead, he said he will have a heavy schedule even without shooting professionally.
"I will not have free time; a challenging life awaits me. I will train twice a week. Let me see how it goes, as I have never been a hobby shooter.
"On the 6th of October I am going to Bangalore to do some work with my foundation where we are giving scholarships to several shooters. We are going to conduct a workshop for them."
