Olympic gold is my ultimate aim: Manavjit Sandhu

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) Even after becoming first Indian marksman to win a world championship gold in trap shooting, Manavjit Singh Sandhu shows no signs of complacency and aims to repeat the feat at Doha Asian Games en route to his ultimate goal -- gold medal at Beijing Olympics.

Addressing mediapersons here today, the shooter who won a gold and a silver at the World Championship at Zagreb, Croatia, recently promised a podium finish in the Olympics in 2008.

''Winning the gold at World Championship is truly an amazing feeling but let's not forget it's just one tournament on the way,'' Manavjit said.

''The past, however wonderful, is behind us. My immediate goal is Doha Asian Games later this year and my final goal is Beijing and I'm working on that with my Italian coach (Marcello Dradi). We will try to bring home the Olympic gold, whatever it takes,'' the marksman said.

However, by his own admission, the world championships are tougher and more competitive than the Olympics.

''Obviously Olympics always have this immense aura and glamour attached to them. If you take that away, I would say World Championship is more competitive and difficult in nature. Its the toughest event in shooting.'' he said.

Manavjit, who has produced some magnificient performance, in the past six months, also revealed that he was planning spend more time in Italy -- the Mecca of clay shooting.

''I am going back to Italy for 20 days. After Doha Games, I'll spent most of my time practising there only,'' he said and informed that his sponsors -- Bilt, AIS and JCT -- will incur all his expenses.

The 29-year-old, who plans to get married this winter, underlined fitness as his priority for the upcoming challenges.

''Fitness tops my priority. Shooting doesn't seem a sport requiring a lot physical activity but it drains you out completely.

And in final round, which usually takes place towards evening, you don't have much of an energy left inside,'' Manavjit said recalling how he battled unusual heat and bad light on way to the gold in Zagreb.

Meanwhile, father Gurbir Singh insisted on the importance of his son's peaking at the right time.

''A shooter's peformance follows a particular pattern -- a cycle.

There are ups and downs. So one must peak at the right time,'' Singh, himself an Asian Games medallist in trap shooting said.

''Besides, there are other tournament before Beijing. He must conquer those peaks before heading to the Everest, which is Olympics,'' he said.

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