Shooter Manu Bhaker secures India's first medal in Paris Olympics 2024

Digital Desk: Manu Bhaker etched her name into Indian sports history on Sunday by winning the country’s first medal at the Paris Olympics, securing bronze in the women’s 10m pistol event with a score of 221.7. 

The event took place at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, marking a significant achievement for India, which had not seen a shooting medal in 12 years. The last Indian shooters to achieve this were Gagan Narang and Vijay Kumar, who won medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

Bhaker’s remarkable performance was underscored by her earlier achievement in the qualification round, where she finished third. This result made her the first Indian woman in two decades to reach an Olympic shooting final in an individual event since Suma Shirur in 2004. Furthermore, Bhaker is the first Indian woman to qualify for the 10m air pistol women’s final at the Olympics.

This bronze medal stands as a poignant redemption for Bhaker, especially after a disappointing Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where a pistol malfunction marred her performance and led to tears of frustration. Reflecting on the Tokyo experience, Bhaker admitted, “Honestly, I have very bitter memories from the Tokyo Olympics. I wondered why this happened to me. What did I do wrong?” She has since come to terms with the situation, acknowledging that “we all have to make our peace with some situations, especially when it’s no longer in our hands.”

Bhaker’s journey to the Paris Olympics was marked by her fifth-place finish in the women’s 25m pistol event at the 2023 Asian Shooting Championships, securing the quota for India. At just 21, she has already achieved significant milestones, including being the youngest Indian to win gold at the ISSF World Cup and a Commonwealth Games champion. Manu Bhaker’s triumph in Paris not only highlights her resilience but also rejuvenates India’s prominence in shooting sports on the global stage.