New Delhi, Dec 27: The success story that started at the turn of the millennium continued for Indian shooting in the year 2011 as well with nine marksmen making the cut for the London Olympics.
While Gagan Narang and Hariom Singh had booked their tickets to London last year itself, seven others emerged as medals prospects in the last one year.
With the sport's profile headed north, the numbers surely are not going to stop at nine as more quota places will be up for grabs in the Asian Shooting Championship in January next year.
Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, Guangzhou Asian Games gold winner Ronjan Sodhi, Sanjeev Rajput, Hariom Singh, Vijay Kumar, Rahi Sarnobat, Annu Raj Singh and Shagun Chowdhary are the ones who have already started harbouring hopes of winning medals at the world's biggest sporting extravaganza.
One of the bright prospects for a medal in the London Games, double trap marksman Sodhi, reached yet another milestone in his decorated career, as he was ranked number one in the world.
The irrepressible Sodhi also clinched the yellow metal in the World Cup finals in the United Arab Emirates for the second straight time.
Conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour in the country, Gagan spent a lot of time fine-tuning his craft with the hope that it will take him to the pinnacle in another seven months' time.
