'I'm converting my shooting range into vegetable garden'

'I'm done, I've announced my retirement, so there's no reconsideration'

India's only individual Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra did not trot out any excuses when he narrowly missing out on a medal during the Rio Olympics on Monday.

He announced his retirement from the sport that had brought him world-wide attention and fame after he won the gold in the same event in Beijing in 2008, saying he's 'done' and will now convert his shooting range into a garden.

"I'm converting that into a vegetable garden. Don't you think I'm a serious person? Maybe the next time (Tokyo 2020), I will come as a journalist if anybody gives me a job," said Bindra.

Asked whether he may reconsider his decision, the 33-year-old said, "I'm done, I've announced my retirement, so there's no reconsideration."

It later emerged that the Zirakpur-based ace shooter, who had finished seventh in the qualifying round to make the cut for the finals, which his compatriot and London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang failed to do, had shot with a malfunctioning gun.

Just before the start of the 10m air rifle qualification at 9am local time, Bindra -- gold medal winner in the same event in 2008 at Beijing -- fell down along with his gun from the chair and as a result the 'sight' of his rifle broke.

"This is something a shooter would not want before a game. He had specially made it for the Olympics to suit the lighting. Even after such meticulous detailing he fell short. But a shooter is conditioned to shoot even if the roof is falling. We got over it and started with our game," his coach Heinz Reinkemeier said later.

• The Rio Olympics, on Rediff.com