'Be selfish, go there and give it your best' - Joydeep Karmakar backs Indian shooters for success at Paris Olympics 2024

Published at :July 26, 2024 at 8:36 PM

Modified at :July 27, 2024 at 1:49 AM

India is sending 21-member contingent at Paris 2024.

Joydeep Karmakar, a pioneering figure in Indian shooting, continues to make significant contributions to the sport long after his competitive career. The Kolkata-born marksman, known for his fourth-place finish in the 50m rifle prone event at the 2012 London Olympics, is now focused on nurturing the next generation of Indian shooters.

During his active career, the now 44-year-old shooter represented India in prestigious international competitions such as the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. Apart from the fourth-place finish in London 2012, Karmakar also won silver medal at the ISSF World Cup 2010 in Sydney and clinched gold at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in 2010 in the 50m rifle prone pairs alongside Gagan Narang.

Despite retirement from active competition, he remains dedicated to giving back to the sport through his academy set up in Kolkata, his role as the head coach of the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Association (MPSA), and various other shooting-related activities.

In a recent interview, Karmakar shared his insights on India’s prospects for the Paris Olympics 2024, the national Olympic trials, and his own memorable moments in the sport.

India’s Olympic shooting prospects

Discussing India’s chances at the upcoming Paris Olympics, Karmakar expressed optimism. “For the first time ever, India is sending such a huge team of 21 shooters to the Olympics. Last time it was 15. That itself is a huge opportunity and also the probability of success is very high.

“I’m hopeful that shooters will do well this time, doing justice to their performance leading up to the Olympics.”

Also Read: Top five medal prospects for India in shooting at Paris Olympics 2024

National Olympic trials

Karmakar defended the intensity of the National Olympic trials, which some shooters like Anjum Moudgil and Elavenil Valarivan have described as one of the most difficult competitions they’ve participated in. “That was the reason it was formulated the way it has been,” he explained.

“When I proposed these trials in 2022, I was the chief coach of the team, this is exactly what I thought it would be like. That was the reason it was formulated the way it should have been organized and it was gladly. It actually is an asset test for shooters to go through that growth. It was needed because every other shooting developed country does it. So, why shouldn’t India do it?

“When you become a strong nation in sports, you need to have (take) some unpopular decisions,” Karmakar stated. “Here, what I feel is that emotions don’t work.”

While acknowledging differing opinions, he stated that sending the trial winners to the Games was the right decision. “Yes, of course, some would say, somebody has won a quota, and he or she should go with that quota. But I don’t believe so.

“There is a provision (for selection trials) because the quota belongs to a country, it never belongs to an individual athlete. I think one of the reasons the team this time is very strong is because of the trials.”

Mental health and Olympic preparation

Addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on shooters’ mental health, Karmakar stressed the importance of mental preparation. “In individual sports like shooting, they need a mental state where you are going to produce your best on that day, at that very moment,” he said.

“The physical preparation is long done. The technical preparation, the technical state you are in, there might not be many changes anymore because you have been through the trials, you have won many medals at the World Championships. So, I think technically, you don’t need a lot of change anymore at this moment. But definitely the mental state is the most important when you are facing the biggest competition in your life, the Olympics.”

While acknowledging the difficulties posed by the pandemic at Tokyo 2020 and Indian shooting contingent’s disastrous campaign, Karmakar was quick to point out that it affected shooters worldwide. “It was a difficult time for the shooters, but very honestly, I believe that cannot be a situation for India only, that cannot be an excuse,” he stated.

“There were a lot of uncertainties, but then everybody faced it, the whole world faced it. So that cannot be an excuse,” said Karmakar on India’s disappointments in Tokyo. “I will not defend the shooters here.

“But then you learn how to get back on your feet and then fight back. That is what I think Paris is going to be. I think it’s a huge opportunity for all the shooters this time, that they really do it for themselves, not only for the country.”

“In the lane, at the field, on the ground, it is an athlete’s individual prowess, individual excellence that matters. It is what wins you gold and automatically a country benefit from that. But first I would say be selfish, go there, give it your best.”

Karmakar’s role as a shooting expert for Paris Olympics 2024

Looking ahead to his role as a shooting expert for Viacom18’s coverage of the Paris Olympics, Karmakar expressed excitement about the opportunity to educate viewers. “I’ll be trying to simplify the jargon and everything which happens in different kinds of sports,” he said. “Shooting, as a sport, has been a mystery for many around, and they ask a lot of questions because this is not a very regular sport.”

Contributions to Indian shooting

Reflecting on his contributions to the sport, Karmakar highlighted his academy in Kolkata, which has trained nearly 1,000 athletes since 2015. He also spoke about his stint as the chief coach of the Indian rifle team in 2022, during which he focused on introducing scientific approaches and improving fundamental skills.

“What I understood is that there needs to be a lot of knowledge distribution to the shooter,” Karmakar explained. “Our shooters are very good, but what I feel is that there is still a lack of basic knowledge amongst the entire shooting community.”

He particularly emphasized his efforts to improve wind shooting, which he considered one of the biggest drawbacks of the Indian shooting team. “This time, this is the strongest 50m rifle 3 positions team, and that is one of my very happy and proud moments that I was able to contribute,” Karmakar stated.

Also Read: India at Paris Olympics 2024: Shooting schedule, squad, live streaming details

Memorable moments

Despite the bittersweet nature of narrowly missing an Olympic medal, Karmakar cherishes the experience. “Being a shooter, going to the Olympics and realizing the rush after the rush, what you’ve given everything, but then you realize you missed a bronze medal by a narrow margin.

“It’s a mixed emotion feeling which, of course, as an athlete, I felt is one moment of my life which I would cherish,” he reflected.

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