New Delhi: Paris Olympics bronze-winning rifle shooter Swapnil Kusale on Friday said he aspires to change the colour of his medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and credited his coach Deepali Deshpande for his success.

While Swapnil won the Arjuna Award here on Friday, his coach Deshpande was conferred the Droncharya Award.

“It’s a special day for me because my coach Deepali Deshpande also won the Dronacharya Award, and I would like to thank my family and all my well wishers,” he said.

“I am working on my game after Paris and definitely I want to change the colour of my medal at the next Olympics. It is the country’s medal, so I am determined.

“I have been with her (Deshpande) for a long time. We are like a family. It’s a big moment for us to receive the national awards together in the same year,” he added.

Swapnil said the Paris Olympics medal has motivated him to bring more laurels for the country.

“I am the same person, some people’s way of thinking about my life past Paris Olympics might be different but I haven’t changed a bit. My Job is only to win medals for the country. Next up is the National Games,” he said.

Former Asian Games winning rifle shooter-turned-coach Deshpande said a clear mindset is key to winning medals at major events.

“After Tokyo I realised if you want to win medals in Olympics, you should be ready for anything. No matter what you have to win and that should be the mentality. That was the major change I did in my mindset and worked accordingly.

“For two and half years after Tokyo, I focussed entirely on six shooters, (including Swapnil) and that really worked. Work speaks louder than anything,” she said.

Deshpande said India now boasts of a strong pool of shooters.

“Now we have good pool of talent which was missing before Paris, now there are plenty who are really good. Now elite athletes are into coaching and that is helping a lot,” she said.

“As a coach I must have to first earn their trust and only then they will listen to me or agree to me. Secondly, rifle shooting is a very technical sport and if that technical thing becomes strong, then everything else follows.”