Ace pistol shooter Vijay Kumar, who made the country sit up and take notice of his achievements after he won the silver medal at the Olympics this year, has lots on his mind.
Currently in Delhi to train for the national championship taking place in December, Vijay spoke to CS about dealing with fame and more:
Final results
For any sportsperson, the Olympics are the final target. I had always been consistent with my performance and before the Olympics, my focus was to maintain my game well. Winning a medal at the Olympics gave me that added boost of confidence. I took part in the World Cup shooting recently at Bangkok, where I finished in the top eight. So, I’m very happy that I’m getting the results of my efforts.
Staying grounded
I don’t let fame or appreciation get to me. My friends, family and colleagues know my strengths and weaknesses. It’s just that now, even the general public recognises me. They invite me for events. It feels good.
No branding, yet!
It’s a misconception that now sportspersons other than cricketers are also getting brand enorsements. It’s been over two-and-a-half months now that I won the medal and I haven’t been approached. It’s just that awareness about other sports is increasing. When it comes to cricket, there are entire channels devoted to them. But the same cannot be said of sports like shooting or boxing.
Time to focus
I will admit that the pressure on me to perform well has increased ever since I won the medal at Olympics. But since the beginning, the focus has been on performing well. So it’s better to avoid thinking about the pressure and just focus on the game.
Act it out
I haven’t been approached yet for any acting deals but I would not say no to them. If I’m free or have some days off, then I would consider them if I feel they are good.
To wed or not to wed
My parents are handling the marriage proposals. My father keeps telling me to settle down but I feel I need another two-three years before I do that. Till then, I want to concentrate on my sport.u00a0
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