Double Asian Games 2026 medallist Rudrankksh Patil has revealed a series of logistical challenges — including an emergency landing, a hotel booking dispute, and chronic bus delays — that the Indian shooting contingent had to navigate before competing at the Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan. Patil, who clinched a silver in the 10m Air Rifle team event and a bronze in the individual event, spoke candidly to reporters after his twin-medal haul.

A Turbulent Journey to Japan

The trouble began on Indian soil. Patil described how the contingent's flight from Bhopal to Delhi encountered technical difficulties, forcing an emergency landing in Jaipur. The team eventually made it to Delhi and departed for Japan the following evening. The onward journey — via Hong Kong — involved a near five-hour leg to Hong Kong, a six-to-seven-hour layover, and another five-hour flight before the team finally touched down in Japan.

'It was a long travel for us from Bhopal to Delhi. Our flight had some issues, and we did an emergency landing in Jaipur,' Patil told reporters. He added that despite the gruelling transit, paperwork at the Japanese end was cleared within minutes of arrival.

Hotel Dispute in the Early Hours

The exhausted contingent's ordeal was far from over. After a three-hour wait at the welcoming centre, the team's buses departed for the hotel only at around 2 or 3 am, reaching at approximately 3:30 to 4 am. On arrival, the shooters discovered that the property they had been allocated was not the hotel they had originally booked.

'Our coaches were fighting over there — if you can give us the confirmation for the best hotel, then how are you shifting us to some other hotel?' Patil recalled. He explained that the organisers operated an accommodation cluster — a 'village' model where a main hotel was connected to several smaller annexes — and rooms were assigned based on availability rather than confirmed reservations.

The rooms provided were notably small. 'We cannot open our suitcases over here,' Patil said. However, he credited the Indian coaches for swiftly responding: they converted all double-occupancy rooms to single occupancy, giving each shooter more personal space. 'The rooms are very small, but it's comfortable also. It's cosy also. I love this room now,' he added.

Bus Delays and the Government Fix

A second major grievance was unreliable bus transport to competition venues. Despite Japan's global reputation for precision punctuality, Patil noted that buses were consistently late — taking up to two hours to cover a route originally promised at 70 minutes, and sometimes stretching to two and a half hours.

Indian authorities intervened promptly. Private cars were arranged for each of the three shooting disciplines — rifle, pistol, and shotgun — with one car allocated per team per day. The system ensured that no athlete missed their event window regardless of bus availability. 'Even if the bus is delayed or due to any circumstance, the car will always be on time,' Patil said, noting that the women's rifle team used the arrangement on the previous day and his team relied on it for their competition.

Patil's Praise for Japan's Sustainable Approach

Despite the logistical friction, Patil was broadly appreciative of the Japanese hosts. He highlighted their ecological approach to food management — where athletes pre-register their meal attendance so that food is prepared to match actual demand, minimising waste. 'Japan is always the first one to have a sustainable, ecological way of conducting tournaments, and that's what they are doing,' he said.

Patil, a 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games gold medallist in the team event, called the overall atmosphere at the Games 'really good' and acknowledged that the compact room sizes reflect Japanese cultural norms rather than organisational neglect. With the shooting programme still ongoing, the Indian contingent will be hoping the administrative teething problems remain firmly behind them.