“He said I could have done better” – Dhanush Srikanth’s mother shares thoughts after triple gold medal win at World Deaf Shooting Championship

Indian shooter Dhanush Srikanth scripted history on Tuesday, September 3, by winning three gold medals at the ongoing 2nd World Deaf Shooting Championship in Hanover, Germany. However, he is not content with the achievement, according to his mother.

Dhanush won gold medals in the men’s 10m air rifle event, 10m mixed team event along with Mahit Sandhu, and the 10m air rifle men’s team event along with Shourya Saini and Mohammed Vania.

Dhanush’s mother Asha Srikanth revealed that the Indian shooting prodigy is not satisfied even after clinching three gold medals, and has already shifted his target to the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.

As per a press release by the Gun for Glory shooting institute where Dhanush Srikanth trains, his mother said (via Khel Now):

“He’s never satisfied, he was happy after winning three gold medals but he said I could have done better. That’s how Dhanush has been throughout, even after getting a medal, he tries to find areas in which he could improve.”

“Dhanush was training for Paris 2024 Olympics and even though it didn't really happen for him, we are happy to see him shift target to the 2028 LA Olympics,” she added.

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“Whatever Dhanush has achieved today is because of Gagan Narang” – Dhanush Srikanth’s mother hails coach after three gold medal wins

Dhanush Srikanth’s mother Asha also heaped praise on former Olympic Games shooter Gagan Narang, who took in a 13-year old Dhanush to train him at his Gun for Glory institute.

Despite being born with a hearing impairment, Dhanush enjoyed a normal life due to his parent’s efforts. He dabbled in taekwondo but shifted to shooting after meeting Narang.

“Dhanush was born deaf but that didn’t stop him from playing sports… I put him in Taekwondo when he was in 3rd grade and right now, he is a Dan 2 Taekwondo black belt. He also used to shoot toy guns at home as a kid. He would hang a target on the door and shoot for hours. It was when Gagan Narang’s Gun for Glory Trimulgherry Branch opened in 2015 that he joined and really got into professional shooting," Asha said, according to the same press release.

“Whatever Dhanush has achieved today is because of Gagan Narang, without his support nothing would have happened. Gagan has always helped him out in whatever way possible. He trains under the best coach at the academy, and the Gun for Glory Team is always there to support him,” she added.

Under the guidance of London 2012 bronze medalist Gagan Narang, Dhanush Srikanth has shown immense growth in his skills and has successfully broken into the Indian shooting contingent to take part in able-bodied competitions.

With an impressive medals tally at just 22 years of age, Dhanush Srikanth will surely hope to secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.