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IMAGE: Indian shooters at a practice session at the Chateauroux range. Photograph: NRAI/XThe windy conditions at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre are making the task doubly difficult for the marksman and markswoman competing at the ongoing Olympics, India's foreign coach for rifle shooting Thomas Farnik said on Wednesday.
If that was not enough, his wards' lack of awareness about the "importance of wind shooting" has only added to the woes.
One of the shooters, Swapnil Kusale, on Wednesday became the first Indian to reach the final of the 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Olympics.
On Thursday, Kusale will seek a podium finish while Sift Kaur Samra and Anjum Moudgil will take aim in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions qualifications.
"Preparation is very good. Everything is set. Now it's important that the shooters have the perfect mindset for the competition, their mind is free and they can do well," Farnik said.
Speaking about the conditions, the Austrian said, "A slight movement of the wind affects, recently they learnt the technique of wind shooting before I was coming there... they are not aware of the importance of wind shooting so they are not 100 per cent confident right now. But that will affect all the shooters."
Farnik was appointed by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) after the Tokyo Olympics debacle.
"I was always hoping for a medal. Tomorrow we have Swapnil Kusale in the final, and there is another chance with our two girls. It's not easy the conditions here, not the very best. The wind is a little bit difficult," he said.