Interview With Imran Khan With ISN (Indian Sports News)

Imran Khan has proved a simple point in his life -- if you have the talent and passion to pursue your dream, nothing can keep you from your goal. The shooter, who rose to fame by clinching gold in 2010 Commonwealth Games, is the true symbol of perseverance and determination. Dearth of resources could not restrict his success as this marksman from Bareilly fought all odds turning adversities into opportunities.

Imran has inspired many budding shooters in his home town and nearby areas. His success could be credited to the revival of shooting in Bareilly. Meanwhile, the Armyman had a superb outing in The National Shooting Championship where he shot gold outclassing stalwarts like Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang.

Vaibhav Tiwari of Indian Sports News caught hold of this soft-spoken marksman and talked to him about his game and future plans: Excerpts:

ISN: Congratulations on winning the gold here.

Imran: Thank you very much.

ISN: Are you satisfied with your performance in the National Championship?

Imran: I am very elated with my performance here. This gold was very satisfying as I defeated 2008 Olympic Champion Abhinav Bindra and World Champion Gagan Narang with a new record to clinch the gold. To win against such formidable opponents, that too with a record, is something that I had not expected.

ISN: How satisfying was 2010 for you?

Imran: 2010 was very satisfying as shooter. I think the most proud moment of my life came in 2010 when I won the CWG gold medal. This is a year I will never forget in life.

ISN: How did you get interested in shooting?

Imran: I was always interested in shooting. In my early days, I used to hear about Jaspal Rana and other people fetching medals in shooting. This inspired me a lot.

ISN: What challenges did you face in your journey to success?

Imran: The biggest challenge I faced was the lack of shooting infrastructure in my city. I lived in Bareilly, which does not have any shooting range. I used to search for places where I could get some sort of assistance. Since shooting is an expensive game, shooting was unimaginable for a middle class person like me. I joined Army in 2000 to fulfill my dream. My life took dramatic turn from thereafter.

ISN: What is the role of Army in your success?

Imran: I owe my success to Army. Whatever I have accomplished in my career is because of Army. Only after joining Army, I got proper training and equipment. Army provides us with all the arms and ammunition that we require. If I had not joined the Army, I would not have achieved anything.

ISN: How does it feel to be successful now?

Imran: It feels great. Now it seems that I am inching closer to my ultimate dream -- the Olympic Gold.

ISN: What are you doing to promote shooting in your home town?

Imran: Whenever I am free I go to sports stadium there and spend time with the shooting enthusiasts. I also have plans to set up a shooting academy in Bareilly so that youngsters of city do not face the problems I had faced. Talks are on but I am not able to garner the required support from the authorities. Shooting academy will require huge resources. Resources like land, arms, ammunition etc. Let’s see what happens in future.

ISN: Do you think shooting is getting its due now?

Imran: Yes, I think so. Government is now giving us whatever we require. Media is also giving coverage to shooters. Though, I would say that it is highlighting only few shooters. I have been doing well since last year but my achievements go unnoticed.

ISN: What are your upcoming plans?

Imran: Four World Cups are lined up one after the other. So my aim for 2011 is to win gold in the world championships and get the Olympic berth.