Indian shooting legend Abhinav Bindra reflected on his Olympic gold medal during the Beijing Olympics 18 years ago, calling it the “biggest peak of his sporting life”.
On August 11, 2008, Bindra etched his name forever into the history books, securing the Olympic gold in the 10 m air rifle with a score of 700.5. He was the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics. Looking back at his win, Bindra posted on X, “18 years ago today, I reached the biggest peak of my sporting life. Life since has taught me that the spaces between the peaks matter just as much.” 18 years ago today, I reached the biggest peak of my sporting life. Life since has taught me that the spaces between the peaks matter just as much. pic.twitter.com/Rrfls1fRN7 – Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 11, 2026
A Legendary Career
While Bindra secured 16th and fourth spot in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, Bindra solidified himself as an all-time great with the gold medal at Beijing. Other than this prestigious medal, Bindra is a seven-time Commonwealth Games medalist, including four golds and a three-time Asian Games medalist, including a silver. He is also a 2006 World Championships gold medalist.
Two medals, a gold medal in 10 m air rifle (pairs) and a silver in individual competition at the Commonwealth Games 2010 at home soil in New Delhi, also remain a high point of the legendary shooter’s career.
Over his two-decade-long career, Bindra won over 150 individual medals, earning recognition as one of India’s greatest sports icons. His exceptional service to the sport was further acknowledged when he was awarded the Blue Cross in 2018, the highest honour by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
Post-Retirement Contributions
Post-retirement, Bindra founded the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT), a nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting grassroots athletes in India through cutting-edge sports science technology. Through initiatives focused on high-performance training, education, and social upliftment, ABFT aims to bring global best practices to the Indian sporting landscape, ensuring a lasting impact on the country’s future athletes.
He also served as a vice-chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes Commission, ending his tenure earlier this year. During his time with the IOC, he became the first Indian to be honoured with the Olympic Order for his contributions to the Olympic movement.