NEW DELHI: Shooter Gagan Narang ended India's medal drought at the London Olympics after clinching bronze medal in the 10 metre air rifle event with an overall score of 701.1 just behind the gold medallist Romania's Alin George Moldoveanu (702.1) and sliver medallist Niccolo 701.5
Earlier in the day, Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra crashed out of the London Games by failing to qualify for men's 10 metre air rifle final while compatriot Gagan Narang made it with an overall score of 598 on Monday.
Narang started of well in the finals as he shot a 10.7 in his first attempt followed by a mediocre 9.7. Narang fought back hard as he scored 10.6 and 10.7 in his third and fourth attempt.
Narang shot a 10.4 in his fifth attempt followed by a 10.6. Narang then had bad series of 9.9 and 9.5 but he came strongly to score 10.3 and 10.7 in his final two shots.
Bindra, who became India's first individual Olympic gold medallist in Beijing, shot 594 to finish 16th out of 47 contestants. Narang was one of the top eight shooters who qualified for the medal round.