India's first Gold Star at Olympics

Congratulate Abhinav Bindra -

A star-starved nation found a new sporting icon in a bespectacled marksman as Abhinav Bindra shot his way to history, winning India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle event on Monday 11, August 2008 morning.

The 25-year-old Indian shooting ace, who qualified in fourth place for the final, finished with an overall score of (596+104.5) 700.5 in a thrilling finale which went right down to the last shot.

Bindra's historic feat makes him India's first individual gold medallist, bettering the silver medal feat of double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Athens 2004.

India's last gold medal at an Olympics came in 1980 when the hockey team emerged triumphant in Moscow. Join us in congratulating the Olympic champion!