"I will not agree with the view that it is a sudden development, because if you see, we have been performing well for last so many years, but yes we were not noticed or acknowledged properly," Thomas said here today.
According to the veteran coach, despite producing world champions and record holders prior to the 2004 Olympics, the sport went unnoticed till Rajyavardhan Rathore did a first by winning a silver medal at Athens.
"We have produced lot of champions, record holders but they all went unnoticed. However when Rathore got the silver in Athens, the world started noticing the Indian shooters and began following them.
"When Abhinav (Bindra) won the gold in Beijing, it may have been surprise for many but not for us and the reason being that he was earlier the world junior champion and then senior world champion."
Thomas said that the Indian shooters' good showings, especially in the Commonwealth and Asian Games, World Cups and Championships, have ignited interest in the sport in India.
The coach, for whom this is his fifth successive Olympics, was of the view that Indian shooters have gained enough experience and exposure to handle all kind of pressure.
"You have to shoot with the pressure, you don't have to fight against it. The shooters are trained for this entire situation." More