Swapnil Kusale Wins Bronze in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions at 2024 Paris Olympics

Shooter Swapnil Kusale secured India's third medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics by clinching bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final on Thursday. Competing at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux, Kusale delivered a stellar performance, finishing with a score of 451.4 points. This achievement makes him the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in this event and marks the first time India’s shooting contingent has won three medals in a single Olympic edition.

President of India, Draupadi Murmu congratulated Kusale and wished that he wins more laurels in the future. “Heartiest congratulations to Swapnil Kusale for winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics! He has become the first Indian to win a medal in the Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions category. It is for the first time that India has won three medals in shooting events in the same Olympic Games. The entire shooting contingent has done India proud. I extend my best wishes to all our players for the upcoming events. I wish Swapnil Kusale wins more laurels in the future,” posted the Prime Minister on “X”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too lauded Swapnil Kusale and said that “every Indian is filled with happiness.” “Exceptional performance by Swapnil Kusale! Congrats to him for winning the Bronze medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the #ParisOlympics2024. His performance is special because he’s shown great resilience and skills. He is also the first Indian athlete to win a medal in this category. Every Indian is filled with happiness. #Cheer4Bharat,” said PM Modi.

The 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event requires shooters to fire from three positions: kneeling, prone, and standing. Competitors shoot three series of five shots each in the kneeling and prone positions. After the 40th shot, elimination begins, with the two lowest scorers being removed. The remaining shooters continue until the final winner is determined.

Kusale began the final with a slower pace, scoring 50.8 in the kneeling position and 50.9 in the prone position. He improved slightly to 51.6 in the final prone series, ending with a total of 153.3 and placing sixth. His performance needed a significant boost in the prone position to stay competitive. In the prone position, Kusale scored 52.7, 52.2, and 51.9 across three series, raising his total to 310.1 and moving up to fifth place. The standing position, known for dramatic shifts in rankings, was the last hurdle. Following a nine-minute break, Kusale improved his standing with scores of 10.6, 10.3, 9.1, 10.1, and 10.3, elevating his total to 411.6 and moving into third place. As the competition narrowed, Kusale held onto third place with a final score of 451.4, surpassing Ukraine’s Serhiy Kulish. Norway's John Hermann won the gold with 463.6 points, while China’s Yukun Liu took silver with 461.3 points.

Born in 1995 to a family with an agricultural background, Kusale works as a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) with the Pune Railway Division. His journey in shooting began at Maharashtra's Krida Prabhodini, where he transitioned from intensive physical training to focusing on shooting. He has previously won gold in the 50m rifle-prone event at the Asian Shooting Championships and at the National Shooting Championships.

The bronze medal won by Kusale adds to India's shooting successes at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Earlier, Manu Bhaker secured a bronze in the women's 10m air pistol, becoming the first Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal. Bhaker further made history by winning another bronze with Sarabjot Singh in the 10m pistol mixed team event, becoming the first post-independence Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympic edition.​