Mumbai: Displaying remarkable resilience and composure, Manu Bhaker secured a historic bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics on Sunday. Bhaker’s triumph marks India’s first shooting medal in 12 years, with the last medals won by Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang at the 2012 London Olympics.
Bhaker’s journey to this achievement is a testament to her perseverance. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, a pistol malfunction during qualifications left her in tears, contemplating retirement. However, three years later, she returned to the Olympic stage as a transformed athlete. Bhaker entered the final rounds of the 10m air pistol event, finishing third in the qualification rounds with a score of 580. In the final, she shot 221.7 to claim the bronze medal, becoming the first Indian woman to win a shooting medal at the Olympics.
Bhaker was in contention for the silver medal, holding a 0.1-point lead over South Korea’s Kim Yeji. However, in the decisive last shot, Bhaker registered a 10.3 while Yeji scored a 10.5, securing the silver for South Korea. The gold medal was won by South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin, who set a new Olympic record with a total score of 243.2, surpassing the previous record of 240.3 held by Vitalina Batsarkshkina.
Hailing from Jhajjar, Haryana, a state known for its sporting excellence, Bhaker exhibited a natural talent for athletics from a young age. She participated in tennis, skating, boxing, and the martial art thang ta, earning national recognition in these disciplines. Inspired by the Rio Olympics in 2016, 14-year-old Bhaker persuaded her father to buy her a sports pistol, initiating her journey in shooting.
Bhaker’s rise to prominence began in 2017 when she defeated Olympian Heena Sidhu to win the national shooting championship with a record-breaking score of 242.3 in the 10m air pistol final. Her subsequent achievements include a silver medal at the Asian Junior Championships and a standout performance at the 2018 Asian Games, where she set a Games Record in the qualification round of the 25m air pistol event.
Bhaker’s crowning moment came at the 2018 Youth Olympics, where she won gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian shooter and female athlete to achieve this feat. Under the guidance of i⁷coach Jaspal Rana, she continued to dominate, securing the top spot in the Olympic Selection Trials T4 10m air pistol final.
Manu Bhaker’s bronze medal at the Paris Olympics not only redeems her heartbreak in Tokyo but also marks a significant milestone in Indian sports, inspiring a new generation of athletes.
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