Shooters tipped to end India's "one-medal" tag

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's shooters are poised to end the country's "one medal nation" tag at the Beijing Olympics, according to a team mate who missed a berth despite equaling two world records.

"We should get at least three medals," men's double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi told Reuters.

Shooting gave India their only medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, saving the success-starved nation total embarrassment. India have won only one medal at each of the last three games.

However, the nation's nine-member shooting squad were better prepared this time, Sodhi said.

"The last time we got our quota places (qualification) just a few months before the Games, but this time around everybody got it at least two years in advance."

He was confident of another medal-winning effort from fellow double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the 38-year-old army lieutenant colonel who won India's sole medal in Athens by coming second.

"We've been together many times and I've not seen anyone mentally tougher."

Rathore will be India's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony on Friday and carries the billion-strong nation's hopes in the absence of the in-form Sodhi, who failed in a late bid for a wildcard after last month's record effort in winning a world cup.

The squad also includes air rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra and trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, who both won gold medals at the 2006 world championships.

Pistol shooter Samaresh Jung won seven medals, including five golds, at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, where rifle shooter Gagan Narang won four gold medals.

(Editing by Alex Richardson)