What's Beijing Olympic gold medalist Bindra up to these days?

IMAGE: India's Abhinav Bindra. Photograph: Getty Images

Geared up for the Rio Olympics this August, Beijing Olympic Games gold-medalist Abhinav Bindra on Sunday said he was hopeful of a medal once again. Bindra had struck gold in the 10 meter Air Rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

"I am working hard. Leaving for Germany in a couple of days. I would be competing there," Bindra said.

He said the tournament in Germany, where he had gone to train last year, would help him prepare for Rio.

"I am preparing well and in a good space at the moment. I am putting my best foot forward," said Bindra who has already written his autobiography, 'A Shot at History: My Obsessive Journey to Olympic Gold'.

When asked whether he is hopeful of a medal in Rio, he replied in the affirmative.

Government should not be in sports, says Bindra

Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra said government should not be in the business of sports as it's neither their job nor can they do it well.

"The government should really not be involved in the business

of sports because it's not their job. They can't really do it well," Bindra said. He said world sport was at such a competitive level where professionals were needed to handle everything as they knew how to run sports and take decisions.

"The government is doing whatever they can do. They have their own way of functioning, audits, accounting processes which takes time and unfortunately all athletes do not have time. Funds should come when needed. It is not the ideal situation," the shooter said.

On whether things have changed in the last 6-7 years, he said 'we have made progress'. "The government has increased funding. For example shooting gets more funding and rightfully so because we have won medals," he said.

Bindra recalled that when he was in the sports committee, one of the politicians said the age limit for the president of sports body should be increased to 95.

"I do not have any problem with that if politicians want to stay but we should have paid CEOs running the bodies professionally," he said.

Bindra said competing at the Olympics was a very draining experience "To win a medal I have to give everything. I am not really talented. I needed two years to recover," he said adding that he was not an athlete and the only talent he had was hard
work.

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