Manu Bhaker Shoots For Glory At Paris Olympics 2024, India’s First Women’s Shooting Medalist

Manu Bhaker etched her name in Indian sporting history on Sunday as she clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics. This historic feat not only ended India’s 12-year wait for an Olympic medal in shooting but also made her the first Indian woman to conquer the shooting podium at the Games.

Bhaker’s journey to the top is even more impressive considering she only started shooting eight years ago. The 2020 Arjuna awardee credits her mental fortitude to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, emphasizing her focus on the process rather than the outcome.

Finishing third in the qualification round with a score of 580, Bhaker secured her place in the final. There, she delivered a stellar performance, amassing 221.7 points to claim the bronze medal.

Winning this medal is a dream come true, not just for me but for everyone who has supported me. I am deeply grateful to the NRAI, SAI, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Coach Jaspal Rana sir, Haryana government and OGQ. I dedicate this victory to my country for their incredible… pic.twitter.com/hnzGjNwUhv

— Manu Bhaker🇮🇳 (@realmanubhaker) July 28, 2024

With this triumph, Manu Bhaker joins an elite group of Indian shooters who have won Olympic medals, including the likes of Abhinav Bindra and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Her achievement is a significant milestone for Indian shooting and women’s sports, inspiring generations to come.

Picking up a sports pistol at 14

While Haryana is renowned for producing world-class boxers and wrestlers, this girl from Jhajjar found a different sport to shine in. A natural athlete, Manu Bhaker excelled in a myriad of sports during her formative years, including tennis, skating, boxing, and even martial arts. This diverse sporting background instilled in her a competitive spirit and a strong foundation for physical fitness, which would later prove invaluable in her shooting career.

It was in 2016, inspired by the Rio Olympics, that a young, 14-year-old Manu discovered her calling. Within a week, she had convinced her father to purchase a sports pistol, marking the beginning of her meteoric rise. Her talent was evident from the outset, as she clinched the national championship title in the 10m air pistol event just a year later while still in school.

Manu’s meteoric rise began from that event in 2017 when she stunned the nation by defeating Olympian Heena Sidhu to clinch the national shooting championship title with a record-breaking score of 242.3 in the 10m Air Pistol final.

The following year, she added a silver medal at the Asian Junior Championships to her growing trophy cabinet. But it was in 2018 that Bhaker truly announced her arrival on the global stage. Making her debut at the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico, she not only qualified for the final but also shattered the junior world record in the process. To cap off a dream debut, she clinched the gold medal in a fiercely contested final against seasoned campaigners. This historic win made her the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at an ISSF World Cup.

The accolades kept pouring in. She paired up with Om Prakash Mitharwal to win another gold in the mixed team event at the same World Cup. Demonstrating her dominance in the junior ranks, Bhaker secured gold medals in both the individual and mixed team events at the ISSF Junior World Cup.

Her rise continued unabated. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, she clinched the gold medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event, setting a new Games record in the process. The following year, she teamed up with Saurabh Chaudhary to form a formidable partnership in the mixed team events, winning gold medals at all three ISSF World Cups and the World Cup final.

However, the pinnacle of her junior career was undoubtedly the 2018 Youth Olympics. By clinching gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event, she scripted history as the first Indian shooter and the first Indian female athlete to win gold at the Youth Olympics.

Tokyo setback to Paris victory

However, the Tokyo Olympics marked a significant setback in her career. Despite securing an Olympic quota, technical issues and immense pressure impacted her performance, leading to disappointing results. While she has continued to excel at the junior level, translating this success to senior competitions has been a challenge.

Nevertheless, despite an initial falling out after the event, she decided to go back under the guidance of renowned coach Jaspal Rana. With his help, Bhaker continued to refine her skills and dominate the domestic circuit until she managed to secure an Olympics quota for the Indian team to compete at the Paris Olympics.

The 22-year-old from Haryana displayed remarkable composure to overcome the disappointment of the Tokyo Olympics, where a weapon malfunction shattered her dreams. Her journey from that heartbreaking moment to the Olympic podium is a testament to her resilience and determination.

PM Modi called the Olympian to congratulate her for her feat as well. Watch below:

Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji speaks to Olympic Medalist @realmanubhaker and congratulated on her on winning India's first Olympic Medal at #Paris2024 https://t.co/ViS32S34ag pic.twitter.com/YuhoaraHNh

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 28, 2024

Bhaker’s bronze medal in the Paris Olympics 2024 is more than just a personal victory; it’s a watershed moment for Indian shooting. Her journey from humble beginnings in Haryana to becoming India’s hero(ine) at a global stage will hopefully continue to inspire athletes across the country.