Paris [France], July 25 : India's chef de mission, Gagan Narang, is "hoping for the best" that the nation is able to surpass its all-time medal tally, they previously scripted in the Tokyo Olympics.
In the previous edition of the Tokyo Olympics, India clinched seven medals, consisting of one gold, two silver and four bronze.
With a contingent of 117 athletes, India will aim to break their all-time record and hit double digits for the first time in the history of the Summer Games.
On the eve of the opening ceremony, Narang opened up about India's chances of surpassing the Tokyo medal tally and told ANI, "Hoping for the best."
The level of pressure on an athlete increases when they step into the venue to play their respective games.
Narang believes that the level of pressure is a constant theme in the Summer Games, but it could turn out to be a good thing if an athlete is able to channel it into positive performances.
"There is absolute pressure in the Olympics. You can't not have pressure. When it is your first Olympics, you have the pressure of first. When it is your second, you know that you have done one before, and it is your second, so you have slightly more pressure," Narang said.
"So pressure at the Olympics you can never get used to. But pressure is not bad. I think you should be able to handle it and channel it towards positive performances," he remarked.
In shooting, 21 shooters will take part in the sport, which is the biggest Indian contingent fielded at any Games. In the previous edition, 15 shooters took part in the shooting.
Narang, who clinched a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics, believes that the shooters are better than him because of the support that they get.
"Times have changed they are better than us. The conditions and support that they are getting are the best. Everything is much better than what we got," Narang said.
Narang has previously appeared as an athlete in the Summer Games and will now serve as chef de mission. He outlined his primary goal and stated that providing comfort to all the athletes is his role to perform.
"Well, it is very difficult for me to define both roles. I think they are very different. As an athlete, I have been performing for the country. As chef de mission, my role is to perform for the athletes to be able to give them all kinds of comforts and requirements that they need," Narang said.
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