Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Infobox Person
name=Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore


imagesize =
birth_date=birth date and age|1970|1|29
occupation=Sportsman (Shooter)

Lt. Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (born January 29, 1970 in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan) is an Indian shooter who won the silver medal in Men's Double Trap at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. [http://www.rediff.com/sports/2004/aug/17oly-shoot1.htm] He is the first Indian to win an individual silver, after Norman Pritchard who won two silver medals at the 1900 Paris Olympics. [http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2008/results/historical/athletes/16384.htm]

Career

In the 2004 Athens Olympics Rathore finished fifth in the qualification round with 135 points, behind eventual gold medal winner Ahmed Almaktoum's 144. Håkan Dahlby (138) and Wang Zheng (137) were placed second and third while Waldemar Schanz's score of 135 was equal with Rathore. Rathore scored 46, 43 and 46 in each of rounds.

In the finals, Rathore scored 44, second best behind Almaktoum's 45 giving him a total of 179, ten behind Almaktoum but one ahead of Wang Zheng's 178.

Rathore's silver equalled India's best individual olympic performance till Abhinav Bindra won India' first individual gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, he was the member of the winning team in the double trap event. He won the gold in the individual and team events in men's double trap at the 2005 Asian Clay Shooting championships at Bangkok. The gold in the individual event was the third consecutive one for Rathore at the annual events after the ones in 2003 and 2004, thus constituting a hat trick.

Rathore failed to qualify for the finals of the Men's Double Trap event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, placing 15th in the qualification round. [cite web|last =|first =|title = Results of Men's Double Trap Qualification-Shoot-Off|url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/SH/C73I/SHM402950.shtml#SHM402950|accessdate = 2006-08-13 ]

He is a Lt. Colonel in the Indian Army. An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla Pune (N.D.A)

Awards and Recognitions

* 2003-2004 - Arjuna award
* 2004-2005 - the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (India's the highest sporting honour of India).
* Rathore is a recipient of the Padma Shri, a civilian award from the Government of India
* "Ati Vishisht Seva Medal" (AVSM), a non-gallantry award for exceptional service, presented by the government. He is the first officer (from the Indian Army) below the rank of brigadier to be awarded the AVSM.
* Rathore was the chosen flag bearer for India during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. [cite news|date=2008-08-04|title=ŠRathore to be India's flag bearer in Beijing|publisher=www.ndtv.com|url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080060015]

See also

*List of Rajputs

References

External links

* [http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1819129_1819134_1825951,00.html "Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore"] , No 55 on "Time"’s list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch"
* [http://chillyrathore.blogspot.com/ Weblog maintained by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore for the 2008 Beijing Olympics]
* [http://www.indiatwo.com/olympics/Rajyavardhan-Singh-Rathore Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Images & Videos]