In a press statement given by the Goodwill Ambassador, the Ace Shooter Abhinav Bindra says,“It’s a real honor for me to be the goodwill ambassador of Indian contingent at the Rio Olympics.”
Bindra, an Olympic Gold Medalist at 2008 Beijing Olympic Summer Games, is the the only Olympic Gold medalist among those qualified for the Rio Games. He did that in 10 M Air Rifle. He’s also the first ever Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games. Before being the Goodwill Ambassador, he was also the Youth Ambassador for the Delhi version of Commonwealth Games which happened six years back.
The Shooting Marvel further added in his words to press,”I am happy to support and motivate all fellow sportspersons who will be representing our country at the Rio Olympics. The welfare of sportspersons and encouraging them to give their best is very precious to me. I strongly believe that all the sportspersons from different parts of the country, pursuing their unique skills are the true ambassadors of the growing sporting culture in this country.”
Bindra, who along with Superstar Salman Khan and Cricket Legend Sachin Tendulkar, has been appointed by the Indian Olympic Association as the Goodwill Ambassador, concluded with,”I have already extended my full support to all Rio Qualified athletes by sending letters to each one of them”.
Earlier Bindra sent a personal letter to each of India’s Olympic-bound Sportspersons to share their thoughts on the Games and made himself open for any question(s), chat or queries, related to preparing for the Rio 2016 Summer Games.
The Ace Shooter in his letter dated May 6 wrote, “To begin, many congratulations to each of you for overcoming the competition, the odds and the adversity to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games… You are, each of you, champions in your own right.
Further he wrote,“Like all of you, I have also planned a run up to pre-Olympic preparation and events and from July 10, I will be setting out on my last round of training/competition. Between now and then, if you would like to chat or want to know something or share anything — what the Games mean to you, what they mean to me — I am here, available on this email address.”
The Olympic Gold Medalist reminded them that they were significant to country’s Olympic history, saying all of them were in an athletic adventure together and he was “proud to be part of a team”.
He wrote, “In over a 100 years of India’s Olympic participation, there are not too many men and women like you.”
“Indian Olympians and Paralympians, put us all together — every single Indian Olympian from the first competitor in 1900 to the youngest amongst our ranks in 2016 — and we could barely fill half a stand at the Nehru Stadium in Delhi.”
“I am sure you are excited, impatient, and waiting to get stuck into your event and to see how good you are and to show the world just how good you can be.”
“Godspeed, comrades and see you in Rio!” the Superstar Shooter ended the letter.