Shooting is the top sport in India, says Abhinav Bindra

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) Cricketers may boast of overflowing coffers and endorsement deals but newly anointed World Champion in 10m Air Rifle Abhinav Bindra has no doubt that shooting is the numero uno sport of the country.

''We have Olympic medallist (Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore), world champion and world record holders. So, shooting is clearly the number one sport in the country. No other game can match these feats,'' said the young marksman on his return from World Championship in Zagreb, Croatia where he won the Gold and booked a berth for the Beijing Olympics.

Received by his proud parents and garlanded at the airport, the rather frail-looking, bespectacled Abhinav said he would take a three-month sabbatical to recover from a back injury, which has been plaguing him for some times.

The marksman, however, asserted that his Athens Olympic performance was a better one even though he couldn't win a medal there.

''In contrast, I have this Gold medal to show this time, even though I felt I did better in Athens,'' he said Babli Bindra, mother of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee shooter, was proud of her son's achievement and expressed hopes that Abhinav would replicate the feat in Beijing Olympics.

''This is a moment of pride. He has won the World Championship.

But I think it's the Olympic medal which matters most and I have full believe in my son and his ability. He should win a medal in Beijing,'' she added.

Abhinav, however, asked not to jump the gun but identified Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Gagan Narang and Rajyavardhan Rathore, along with himself, as possible medal winner in Beijing.

UNI AY DH PM1952