Paris Olympics 2024: India’s shooting ace Manu Bhaker scripts history; becomes first Indian to win 2 medals
Paris Olympics 2024: In a remarkable feat at the Paris Olympics 2024, India’s shooting sensation Manu Bhaker created history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals in the same edition of the Games.
Showcasing her exceptional talent on the global stage, Manu Bhaker’s double medal win is a historic achievement for India, as she becomes the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. Her success is not only a testament to her hard work and dedication but also an inspiration to aspiring athletes across the country.
Manu Bhaker-Sarabjot Singh scripts history
Recently, Bhaker and her partner Sarabjot Singh secured bronze in the 10 M Air Pistol Mixed team event. Earlier, Bhaker had won bronze in the women’s individual 10M Air pistol event.
Manu and Sarabjot finished third in the 10m Air Pistol mixed team qualification with 580 points and 20 perfect shots. In the bronze medal final, the Indian team defeated the Korean team of Xue Li and Won Lee 16-8.
Wonho Lee ended fourth with 579 points and 18 flawless strokes. Sevval Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec of Turkey, who tied the Olympic qualification record with 582 points, will play Serbia’s Damir Mikec and Zorana Arunovic for the gold medal.
With a score of 576, Rhythm Sangwan and Arjun Singh Cheema of India were unable to advance to the medal round.
Who is Manu Bhaker?
- Manu Bhaker, the sports shooter from Haryana, is well-known for her pistol shooting achievements.
- Born on February 18, 2002, she has made a great contribution to international shooting sports, particularly in the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events.
- Manu, however, took up shooting after trying out for sports like tennis, skating, and boxing at school.
- Manu was passionate about sports, and she excelled in the form of martial arts known as ‘thang ta’, winning national medals.
- Manu decided to try her hand at shooting when she was 14, shortly after the 2016 Rio Olympics ended. After trying several sports, Bhaker fell in love with shooting. Within a week, she asked her father to buy her a sport shooting pistol because she wanted to pursue the sport professionally.
- Her father, who has been a steadfast supporter throughout Bhaker’s struggle, bought her a gun without much thought, and the rest is history.
Manu Bhaker’s Achievements
Bhaker rose to prominence after winning the gold medal at the 2018 ISSF World Cup, and she has since won several other medals in major tournaments such as the Asian Games and the ISSF World Cup. Her skills and achievements have elevated her to the top tier of Indian shooting sports.
2018 ISSF World Cup: Bhaker won gold in both the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events, which was a notable achievement in her career.
2018 Commonwealth Games: She won gold medals in both the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events.
2018 Asian Games: Bhaker earned gold in the 10m air pistol and silver in the 25m pistol.
2019 ISSF World Cup: She added to her medal tally with gold in the 10m air pistol and silver in the 25m pistol.
2019 ISSF World Cup Final: She won gold in the 10m air pistol event, firmly establishing herself as a top performer in her discipline.