From Tokyo heartbreak to Paris bull's eye: Olympic journey of Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting and opened the country's tally at the Paris Olympics

In a major achievement, Manu Bhaker scripted a memorable moment for India at the Paris Olympics by winning a bronze medal in 10 m air pistol, ending a 12-year drought for the nation. At just 22, Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal, a feat that has earned her nationwide admiration.

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Bhaker started the final strongly, scoring 50.4 in the first series for second place. However, two 9.6s in the second series dropped her to third. Bhaker regained second place at the end of the third series and held it until the final stages. But South Korea’s Yeji Kim edged past her by 0.1 point to enter the gold medal round.
 

Yet, the performance was particularly sweet for Manu Bhaker, who faced an upsetting debut at the Tokyo Olympics, where she returned home after competing in three events without success. The emotional toll of that experience left her questioning her future in the sport.
 

In 2023, Bhaker found herself disillusioned with shooting, likening it to a routine ‘9 to 5 job’. The passion that once drove her to excel had diminished, and she considered leaving the sport to pursue higher education abroad. Despite being part of the national team and achieving significant success, her drive to be the best in the world seemed to be fading.

Also Read: Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker becomes first woman shooter to win medal

Rekindling Olympic dreams
 

Refusing to give up, Bhaker reached out to her former coach, Jaspal Rana, in a bid to reignite her passion. Their reunion came three years after a public fallout, but both were determined to move past their differences. The collaboration proved fruitful, setting Bhaker on a path to redemption and preparation for the Paris Olympics.
 

Reflecting on her journey, Bhaker told India Today, “In 2022 and the first six months of 2023, I felt like this had become a 9 to 5 job for me. I do not like doing the same things every day. It makes me feel bored and doesn’t give me the kick.”
 

She added that this period of disillusionment made her consider taking a break to focus on her studies abroad.
 

However, Bhaker’s renewed dedication paid off. On July 28, she stood on the podium at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, having learned from the painful memories of Tokyo. Displaying remarkable composure, she shot 221.7 to clinch the bronze medal, securing her place in India's Olympic history.

A glimpse into Bhaker’s career
 

Born in Jhajjar, Haryana, a state renowned for its boxers and wrestlers, Bhaker explored various sports, including tennis, skating, and boxing, during her school years. She also excelled in the martial art ‘thang ta’, winning national medals. Inspired by the 2016 Rio Olympics, she took up shooting at 14 and quickly made a mark.
 

At the 2017 National Shooting Championships, Bhaker stunned Olympian Heena Sidhu by winning nine gold medals, setting a record score in the 10m Air Pistol final. Her breakthrough year came in 2018, with a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games at just 16 years old.
 

Bhaker’s success continued as she won the Youth Olympics Gold in 2018 and the Women’s 10m Air Pistol at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup in Mexico. She secured an Olympic quota place with a fourth-place finish at the 2019 Munich ISSF World Cup but faced disappointment at the Tokyo Games.
 

Undeterred, Bhaker went on to become the junior world champion in the women’s 10m air pistol at Lima shortly after the Tokyo Olympics. She then secured a silver medal in the women's 25m pistol at the 2022 Cairo World Championships, followed by a gold medal in the same event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Manu Bhaker’s achievements before Paris Olympics

Asian Games 2022 - Gold medal in 25m pistol team

World Championship, Baku 2023 - Gold medal in 25m pistol team

Asian Shooting Championship, Changwon 2023 - 5th place in 25m pistol, secured a Paris Games 2024 Quota

World Cup, Bhopal 2023 - Bronze medal in 25m pistol

World Championship, Cairo 2022 - Silver medal in 25m pistol

 World University Games, Chengdu 2021 -

• Gold medal in 10m air pistol individual
• Gold medal in women’s team event

Manu Bhaker in mixed team event
 

A day after securing the bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event, Manu Bhaker will return to competition today. On Day 3, the young athlete will join Sarabjot Singh for the qualifying round of the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Rhythm Sangwan and Arjun Singh will form the other Indian pair participating in the same event.