Indian shooters have developed very fast; will look to learn from them, says Olympic champion Yukun
After a short break, Paris gold medallist Liu Yukun is back on track for the next Olympic cycle, starting with the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi.
Published : Oct 11, 2024 11:10 IST , NEW DELHI - 3 MINS READ
CHATEAUROUX, FRANCE - AUGUST 01: Gold medalist Yukun Liu of Team People's Republic of China poses on the podium during the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Final on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on August 01, 2024 in Chateauroux, France. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) | Photo Credit: Charles McQuillan
Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun beamed as he spoke to Sportstar over a Zoom call, reflecting on life after the Paris Olympics. Yukun, who won gold in the men’s 50m rifle three-position event, said he finally had the chance to relax.
After years of single-minded focus, the 27-year-old shared that the first thing on most Chinese athletes’ minds after the Olympics is to take some time away from sport. “Generally, after the Olympics, the most important thing for shooters is to reunite with their families. That was the same for me, but I also took the time to go fishing. I really love fishing,” he said with a grin.
That wasn’t all he did. While Yukun may have won gold, he was just one of 40 Olympic champions for China, part of an impressive total of 91 Olympic medallists at the Paris Games. This meant other responsibilities followed. “Shooting isn’t the most popular sport in China. After the Olympics, we must try to promote the sport and help people understand what shooting is all about,” Yukun explained.
Although he enjoyed the break, Yukun’s focus has now returned. One Olympic cycle is behind him, and the next one is already underway. Over the next week, he will compete in the first major competition of the Los Angeles Olympic cycle: the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi.
While none of India’s Olympic medal winners — including Swapnil Kusale, who won bronze in the same event as Yukun’s gold — are participating, Yukun and the Chinese team have been at the range preparing.
“After our break, the Chinese team has been getting ready for this competition for the last two weeks. We place great importance on this event. The World Cup Final is a high-level international competition in this Olympic cycle and a great starting point for the 2028 Olympics. Many champions are coming here. This competition will be a good opportunity to compete with excellent shooters from around the world,” he said.
Yukun, who holds the world record in both qualification (597/600) and final (468.9) in his event, remains humble about his competitors, including those from India. “During my years in shooting, I’ve competed with many Indian shooters. The Indian team has developed very fast in recent years. The Indian Shooting Federation has set high technical standards for selection, and their athletes seem to have a very good sporting spirit. As Chinese, we would like to take the opportunity to communicate with them and learn from them as well. It will be interesting to share the field with them,” he added.
Yukun stressed that he is not content to rest on his laurels, despite his impressive achievements, and instead looks to keep learning as a shooter. “Every athlete should aim to improve themselves every day. The point of competitions like the World Cup Finals is to exchange ideas and strengthen this knowledge,” he noted.
Reflecting on his performance in the finals at Châteauroux, where he showed great mental fortitude to win gold despite trailing multiple times during the event, Yukun was modest. “I respect every athlete who made the final at the Olympics. Everyone who reaches the finals is a hero. I just tried to focus on myself and do my best. I didn’t concentrate too much on the result. I believe we shouldn’t focus solely on the gold medal but on ourselves,” he concluded.