PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Dec 15: Indian sportspersons continue to draw inspiration from Abhinav Bindra’s powerful words, “Practice is a talent, perseverance is a talent, hard work is a talent” and the presence of India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist will provide a boost to participants at the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K 2022 to be held on Sunday, December 18.
Race organiser Procam International on Wednesday announced Bindra as the Event Ambassador for the seventh edition of this prestigious USD 100,000 prize fund World Athletics Elite Label Road Race. The shooter replaces former grand slam tennis champion Mary Pierce who is indisposed.
A near-perfect 10.8 on his last shot saw the then 25-year-old Bindra nail the men’s 10m air rifle gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. It was his crowning glory in a stellar sporting career that included a World Championship gold and multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
An entrepreneur and philanthropist now, the much-decorated Bindra always emphasises that success is not about one day, but the effort put in every day to make the journey count.
This sentiment echoes with amateur runners who strive throughout the year in preparation for eastern India’s biggest running festival.
Abhinav Bindra said, “The Tata Steel Kolkata 25K has motivated people of all age groups to embrace a healthy lifestyle. The spirit of the event energises runners and instils faith in them. I’m excited to be a part of this event and look forward to seeing thousands of runners participate.”
