India added four more medals to its tally on the second day of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, with shooting once again playing a key role in the country’s medal haul.
India’s wait for a gold medal continued, but the country secured two silver and two bronze medals on the day.
Himanshu Dhillon won silver and Rudrankksh Patil claimed bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle individual event. The duo then teamed up with 18-year-old Parth Rakesh Mane to win another silver in the team event, finishing with a score of 1898.4 points.
China’s Sheng Lihao, Changhong Zhang and Sihan Ma won gold with 1899.0 points, setting a new world record. They bettered the previous mark of 1898.4, set in Cairo last year.
For Dhillon, the double-medal performance marked a significant moment in his career. He said winning medals for India was an emotional and proud moment, while also noting that the individual silver was his first senior international medal.
“When you achieve something for the country, you naturally feel emotional. It is a moment of immense pride for me. In fact, this is my first individual medal at the senior international level, so holding two medals feels truly wonderful,” Dhillon told ANI.
Dhillon’s coach, Kuldeep Nehra, recalled how the shooter first took up the sport during a school visit in 2019.
Nehra said Dhillon’s parents initially had concerns about shooting because of the expenses involved and preferred traditional sports such as wrestling and kabaddi. However, Dhillon remained determined to pursue shooting.
“I met Himanshu in 2019 during his school’s visit. The children had come over, and he tried firing a shot and really liked it,” Nehra told ANI.
He said Dhillon’s family initially remained doubtful after the youngster failed to produce significant results in his early years, but his performances gradually improved.
Meanwhile, Patil said he was proud to win two medals for India, although he had hoped to finish with gold.
“I feel very happy and proud to have brought home two medals for the country. Of course, it could have been better—we were hoping for gold—but something is better than nothing,” Patil told ANI.
The shooter also highlighted the role of shooting in building momentum for the Indian contingent and dedicated his medals to the country.
“Shooting is often what gets the medal tally moving. It is our responsibility to build momentum for the entire contingent. The more medals we win, the stronger and more confident the whole contingent feels,” he said.
Patil’s father, DCP Balasaheb Patil, praised his son’s seven years of hard work and determination. He said Rudrankksh had always focused on establishing his own identity through his performances rather than relying on his family’s status.
“He wants to make a name for himself. Whenever he travels by rickshaw, taxi, or train for his practice sessions, he never mentions his parents’ names or positions. He wants to build his own reputation on his own merit,” Balasaheb Patil told ANI.
He said his son was steadily working towards his goal of winning an Olympic medal for India.
For Parth Mane, the team silver was particularly special as it was his first Asian Games medal and maiden medal at the senior international level.
“This is definitely an important medal for me, and a valuable learning experience. It’s very special to me because it’s my first Asian Games medal and my first medal at a senior international event,” Mane told ANI.
With four medals added on Monday, India’s overall tally has risen to six medals — four silver and two bronze — after two days of competition. The country is yet to win a gold medal at the Games. (ANI)
