Pressing need: Better facilites not hefty cash

The shooter feels winning an Olympic medal is still a distant dream considering that even qualifying for the mega event is so difficult. ‘‘You have to compete with ace shooters of the world who have been preparing themselves for some seven to eight years.’’

Even in Asian Games, Samaresh does not expect to win as many medals as in the Commonwealth Games. ‘‘The field at Asian Games comprises powerhouses China, South Korea, Thailand, and Kazakhstan and it will be difficult to get past the shooters of these countries.’’China had bagged the maximum number of medals in shooting at the Sydney Olympic Games.

“Samaresh said for each shooting event, there is a separate coach in these countries whereas India utilised the services of a specialised foreign coach only recently.

‘‘It was because of guidance from foregin experts that we were able to boast of an unprecedented medal haul at Commonwealth Games,’’ he said.

Preparing in right earnest for the Busan Asian Games in September, Samaresh said he is concentrating on getting rid of the flaws in his technique. ‘‘I got to know of my flaws at Manchester. Now I am trying to remove these.’’

To encourage the sport in the country, the ace shooter feels the procedure of import of air weapons should be liberalised. ‘‘If license is imposed on the import of air weapons, then the whatever little craze for the game that the youth has been showing recently, will also die.’’

Junior shooters beign with air weapons and if these are not easily available, it would act as a deterrent, Samaresh warned.

‘‘Not firearms but air weapons have to be made easily available if the country is to produce many more Jaspal Ranas and Abhinav Bindras in future.’’ (PTI)