Swapnil Kusale is an Indian sportsperson who participates in professional shooting. Swapnil and his teammates secured first place at the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) team event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In 2024, he won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Swapnil Suresh Kusale was born on Sunday, 6 August 1995 (age 28 years; as of 2023) in Maharashtra, India. His zodiac sign is Leo. In 2009, Swapnil joined the Krida Prabhodani School in Pune, Maharashtra, a school dedicated to sports. In 2013, Swapnil was picked up by a non-profit organisation named Lakshya Sports. Lakshya Sports sponsored Swapnil Kusale’s equipment, coaching, medical expenses, and travel. Swapnil got a job with the Indian Railways as a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) in the Pune Railway Division. He was promoted to the rank of Officer on Special Duty (OSD) by the Indian Railways after he won a bronze medal in the Olympics held in Paris in 2024.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 10″
Weight (approx.): 60 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Swapnil Kusale was born into a farmer’s family in Maharashtra.
Parents & Siblings
Swapnil has a brother named Suraj Kusale who is also an athlete. There is not much known about his parents.
Swapnil Kusale’s brother Suraj and parents
Career
Swapnil’s sports career started in 2009 when his father registered him in the Maharashtra government’s primary sports academy, Krida Prabhodini. Swapnil was interested in sports from a very young age and gives credit to his father for recognizing that and enrolling him in the academy. Initially, Swapnil was made to focus on physical fitness for a year, and then it was time to pick a sport. Swapnil opted for shooting and was relocated to Nasik to begin his training in shooting. Speaking about coming from a family that did not have a lot of money to spend on sports equipment, Swapnil said,
The Krida Prabhodini programme helped me a lot, gave me free education, housing etc, you name it. But, after a point if you want to take it up seriously you need to spend money. My father took a loan from the bank so that he could help me reach the stage that I am. The cost of each bullet was around Rs 120 at that time, so I had to be very careful while shooting, because I couldn’t obviously afford that much. I didn’t have a lot of the equipment at that time, it was a bit of a restrictive setup.”
In 2013, Lakshya Sports recognised Swapnil’s talents and sponsored him. Swapnil Kusale received training under Coach Deepali Deshpande.
Swapnil Kusale with his coach Deepali Deshpande
In 2015, Swapnil Kusale was named the Asian Junior Champion. In 2022, Swapnil held the 2nd World Ranking for the 50m rifle 3 positions men’s event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup. In October 2022, Swapnil Kusale secured a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics in shooting. He was the third Indian to be selected for the Paris Olympics and did this by finishing fourth in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event at the ISSF World Championship held in Cairo, Egypt.
Swapnil Kusale at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup in Cairo, where he secured a position at the 2024 Paris Olympics
At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Swapnil was close to winning India’s first-ever Asian Games gold in the 50m 3 positions event but scored 7.6 in one of the shots, which put him in fourth place. Swapnil missed out on winning a medal by 0.1 points. However, Swapnil and his teammates Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Akhil Sheoran won a gold medal at the 50m rifle team event.
Swapnil Kusale was interviewed after his gold medal win at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
In 2024, he stood third in the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the Paris Olympics he shot an aggregate of 451.4 in the eight-shooter final round.
Swapnil Kusale at the Paris Olympics
Record
- Swapnil Kusale along with his teammates (Aishwary Pratap Tomar and Akhil Sheoran) hold the No. 4 World Record position for 50m Rifle 3 Positions in the Men’s category. They set the record of scoring 1769 points at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
- In the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kusale not only became the first Indian to qualify for the final round of the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event but also to win a medal in the same event in the Olympics.
Medals
Gold
- 2015: 50m rifle 3 position event at the Junior Asian Shooting Championship.
- 2015: 50m prone 3 position event at the 59th Senior National Championship held in Tughlakabad.
- 2016: 50m rifle 3 position men’s event at the 60th National Shooting Championship in Pune.
The medals won by Swapnil Kusale at the 60th National Shooting Championship in Pune
- 2017: 50m 3 position men’s event at the 61st National Shooting Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
- 2021: International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in New Delhi.
- 2021: 64th National Shooting Championship held in Bhopal.
Swapnil Kusale (centre of podium) being awarded the gold medal at the 64th National Shooting Championship in Bhopal
- 2023: 50m rifle 3 positions mixed team event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan with teammate Ashi Chouksey.
Swapnil Kusale and his teammate, Ashi Chouksey, celebrating their gold medal win at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan
- 2023: Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Silver
- 2016: 50m rifle 3 position men’s team event at the 60th National Shooting Championship in Pune.
- 2017: 50m 3 position senior civilian event at the 61st National Shooting Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
A collage of Swapnil Kusale at the 61st National Shooting Championship, Kerala, and posing with his medals from the Championship.
- 2023: 50m Rifle 3 Positions men’s event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
- 2022: 50m rifle 3 positions team men’s event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Bronze
- 2015: 50m 3 position event at the 59th Senior National Championship held at the Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad.
- 2017: 50m 3 position senior civilian team event at the 61st National Shooting Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
- 2017: 50m rifle-prone event at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane, Australia.
- 2024: Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the Paris Olympics
Swapnil Kusale posing with his bronze medal
Facts/Trivia
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Swapnil Kusale follows a non-vegetarian diet.
A picture of one of Swapnil Kusale’s meals posted on his Instagram stories
- Swapnil Kusale’s idol is Gagan Narang who is also a professional shooter. In an interview, Swapnil shared,
My proudest moment was shooting against Gagan Narang, he has always been my hero growing up. To be shooting and competing with him is amazing, however, during the competition he is my equal. Whenever I meet him at events we discuss so many things, he has taught me so much. The most important thing that he has taught me is how to remain calm in between shots.”
Swapnil Kusale with his idol, Gagan Narang
