India's Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang highlighted a change in India's mindset ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday. The Olympic medalist also talked about his role as a Chef-de-Mission to the Indian contingent while speaking to India TV reporter Samip Rajguru in Paris on July 25.
The veteran sport shooter claimed a bronze medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and is in charge of the Indian contingent for the 33rd Games in Paris. When asked about his contribution as a mentor and Chef-de-mission, Narang revealed how he is handling the pressure of a new role at the Paris Games.
"I feel happy and proud to be one of the few Chef De Missions who is also an Olympics medallist," Gagan Narang told India TV reporter Samip Rajguru in Paris. "There are a handful of people. It's an honour for me. I was contributing to shooting athletes and now I'm able to contribute to all Indian athletes.
"It's a proud moment for me and also a responsible one. I'm hoping I can handle pressure like I did in the London Olympics. It's a different kind of pressure."
The 41-year-old Gagan first participated in the 2004 Olympics in Athens and highlighted a change in Indian athlete's mentality after 20 years. Narang said that Indian athletes were under-confident in the previous editions but now are feeling confident to perform with a new level of thinking and motivation.
"There is a huge change in the motivation and the level of thinking our athletes have today," Gagan added. "We used to feel scared, under-confident because other countries were better. But slowly that's changed, the mindset (has) changed. People started watching sports, playing it, then we had great performances. The confidence is at a new high. Today's athletes don't go just to participate, they go to perform.
"Someone in the top 8 or 5 wants to win a medal today and not just any medal but a gold. That's the difference in thinking of the athletes today. They don't think anyone is above them. They rate competitors at par and that's a very positive sign for Indian sport."
Watch the interview:
