Sportskeeda's Indian Sportsperson of the Year 2016 – No. 25 to No. 16

#21 Abhinav Bindra

Bindra was the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent at Rio 2016

Abhinav Bindra’s name will forever be etched in the history of Indian sports as he went on to became India’s first and only individual gold medallist at the Olympics in 2008. This year, however, he failed to replicate his performance in Beijing, although coming agonisingly close to another podium finish.

Bindra, who was the Indian contingent’s flag-bearer in the opening ceremony at Rio, performed admirably. He was eliminated, losing out in a tie-breaker to finish in the fourth place. The margin by which he missed out on a medal would be somewhere between 99.99 percent and 100 percent perfection.

The result was heartbreaking for all Indian fans. The “sight” of Bindra’s rifle had broken just before the start of the event and unfortunately he did not have a spare one. The specimen that the ace shooter was using was a prototype, specifically created for the range in Rio.

It proved to be the deciding factor in Bindra’s quest for another medal. Although he failed to win a medal, his efforts were remarkable given the circumstances and he finds his name on 21^st on our list.