Keep impressed, attempt for excellence: Narang to athletes lacking out on Khel Ratna

Vice President of Indian Olympic Affiliation Gagan Narang. File
| Picture Credit score: PTI

Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang has urged athletes, who weren’t nominated for this 12 months’s Khel Ratna Award, to not get disheartened however take it as a problem to do higher in future competitions.

Some para-athletes like archer Harvinder Singh, who turned his Tokyo Video games bronze right into a gold in Paris final 12 months, have expressed their disappointment at not being thought-about for Khel Ratna.

Narang, the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist who’s now the Indian Olympic Affiliation vice-president stated medals, greater than awards, must be the “final purpose” of athletes.

“For any athlete, an award is a supply of encouragement. However when an athlete begins his journey, awards are usually not the final word purpose. What really issues is bringing medals house for the nation,” Narang instructed PTI Movies.

“Awards will come and go. If not this time, one can get it subsequent 12 months. I do not suppose it must be a de-motivating issue… they need to get impressed to carry out higher sooner or later.”

Narang stated athletes had realised over time that nation is above every little thing else, together with medals.

“I feel these athletes have additionally understood over a time frame that nation issues essentially the most and is the primary precedence.”

He additionally acknowledged the challenges confronted by the jury in an Olympic 12 months, the place distinctive performances abound, making the choice course of demanding.

“Maintaining in thoughts the Olympic 12 months, it’s a very troublesome job for the jury to take a name after seeing so many nice performances,” he stated.

Narang hoped the ideas made by members of the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), whose assembly was held on Tuesday (January 7, 2025), can be labored upon within the close to future. Apart from Narang, badminton nice P. Gopichand and former desk tennis participant Kamlesh Mehta, amongst others, are members of the MOC.

“A number of procedural ideas have been made by the members. I am hopeful these adjustments will likely be carried out within the coming months.”