New Delhi, Aug 11 : President Pratibha Patil today congratulated Abhinav Bindra for winning the gold medal in the men's 10-metre air rifle event at the Beijing Olympic Games.

In her message, the President said, " I am extremely delighted and proud to hear today that you have realized the dream of a billion of our people, by winning the Olympic gold medal in the 10-metre air rifle event in Beijing. Your achievement is even greater as not only has India won a gold medal at the Olympic Games after a very long gap of 28 years, but also because you have become the first ever Indian to win a gold medal at the Olympics in an individual event.

"Your achievement today should inspire confidence amongst all Indian sportspersons that they can achieve the pinnacle of any sport at the international level. It should also be an inspiration for more of our youth to take up sports as a full time career," the President added.

Bindra won the gold medal in men''s 10-meter air rifle event after earning a total of 700.5 points.

Earlier, Abhinav, who became the first Indian individual gold medallist at the Olympics, had qualified for the men''s 10m air rifle event finals. He finished the qualifying event joint fourth with Romania''s George Alin Moldoveanu after the duo shot a score of 596/600.

He scored a series of 100, 99, 100, 98,100 and 99 in the qualifiers.

ANI