As the Olympic battle is getting competitive, Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra, who was the champion in Beijing, is expected to face a stiff challenge from Beijing Games silver medalist Qinan Zhu and compatriot and former world record-holder Gagan Narang.

India awaits her moment of Olympics glory in the men's 10m air rifle event, in London on Monday. Meanwhile, Bindra may not be tipped as the favourite, but that could be a blessing in disguise for it takes off the pressure a bit.

Even in Beijing it was Narang who went in as the favourite, following his world record scores, but in the end Bindra showed nerves of steel to clinch the moment. As per the experts’ prediction, it is going to be an open contest, pointing to China's Zhu and Italy's Nicco Campriani as the shooters to beat. After losing to Bindra, Zhu has participated in 15 ISSF events and won six of them.

He has also made it to the podium 10 times while missing the finals just once. Campriani, world No.1 and world champion, was the first to qualify for the Olympics by winning the gold at the ISSF World Championship in Munich in 2010. Both Bindra and Campriani train under the same coach, Gabby Buehlmann.

Well, our best wishes with both the Indians as in the end we would be as proud!

Source: TNN