Will not go to 2024 Paris Olympics, happy with the junior squad, reveals Jaspal Rana
Jaspal Rana is the coach of the junior national pistol team
|Indian shooting coach Jaspal Rana has made it clear that he doesn’t want to prepare himself for the 2024 Paris Olympics; rather he wants to serve the junior squad and develop fresh talents for the future. India won as many as 43 medals in the recently concluded 2021 ISSF Junior World Championships.
Jaspal Rana was actively part of India’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics campaign, but controversies unfolded when Chinki Yadav was omitted from the women’s 25m pistol event for the Olympics, leading to alleged differences between Jaspal and Manu Bhaker.Â
The poor show of the shooters at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics sparked fresh debate once again, with NRAI president Raninder Singh referring to Jaspal Rana as the negative factor in the Indian shooting contingent in India’s campaign. However, Jaspal felt that he was never out of the system, as he was still the junior pistol team coach.
“I was never thrown out of any responsibility. What they (NRAI) did, they did, but I was always the junior (pistol) team's coach. I don't think they can take that thing away from me just like that,” said Jaspal Rana, as reported by the TOI.
In spite of the mishap, Jaspal Rana led the junior team to a highly successful campaign at the 2021 ISSF Junior World Championships, where they claimed 43 medals – the most by any nation at the event. Rana, however, has ruled out his possibility to be a part of the 2024 Paris Games, rather, he wants to serve the junior squad and develop fresh talents for the future.
"I don't think it's my domain anymore. It was never my domain, the Olympics. I am happy with the junior squad and will remain with the junior squad from now on. I will not go (to the Paris Olympics) now,” explained the shooting coach.
"It's not about what happened in Tokyo...(but) I think I should concentrate on the junior squad and leave whatever happens in the senior team. I will rather keep myself happy that way. I would stick to the job that I have and be like a 'farmer' (raising fresh crops)," he added.
