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

From Tokyo heartbreak to Paris bull’s eye: Olympic journey of Manu Bhaker | Olympic Games News

In a serious achievement, Manu Bhaker scripted a memorable second for India on the Paris Olympics by successful a bronze medal in 10 m air pistol, ending a 12-year drought for the nation. At simply 22, Bhaker turned the primary Indian feminine shooter to win an Olympic medal, a feat that has earned her nationwide admiration.

Bhaker began the ultimate strongly, scoring 50.4 within the first collection for second place. Nonetheless, two 9.6s within the second collection dropped her to 3rd. Bhaker regained second place on the finish of the third collection and held it till the ultimate phases. However South Korea’s Yeji Kim edged previous her by 0.1 level to enter the gold medal spherical.
 

But, the efficiency was notably candy for Manu Bhaker, who confronted an upsetting debut on the Tokyo Olympics, the place she returned house after competing in three occasions with out success. The emotional toll of that have left her questioning her future within the sport.
 

In 2023, Bhaker discovered herself disillusioned with taking pictures, likening it to a routine ‘9 to five job’. The fervour that after drove her to excel had diminished, and he or she thought-about leaving the game to pursue larger training overseas. Regardless of being a part of the nationwide workforce and reaching vital success, her drive to be the most effective on this planet gave the impression to be fading.

Additionally Learn: Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker turns into first lady shooter to win medal

Rekindling Olympic desires
 

Refusing to surrender, Bhaker reached out to her former coach, Jaspal Rana, in a bid to reignite her ardour. Their reunion got here three years after a public fallout, however each had been decided to maneuver previous their variations. The collaboration proved fruitful, setting Bhaker on a path to redemption and preparation for the Paris Olympics.
 

Reflecting on her journey, Bhaker instructed India As we speak, “In 2022 and the primary six months of 2023, I felt like this had turn out to be a 9 to five job for me. I don’t like doing the identical issues day by day. It makes me really feel bored and doesn’t give me the kick.”
 

She added that this era of disillusionment made her think about taking a break to give attention to her research overseas.
 

Nonetheless, Bhaker’s renewed dedication paid off. On July 28, she stood on the rostrum on the Chateauroux Capturing Centre, having discovered from the painful reminiscences of Tokyo. Displaying outstanding composure, she shot 221.7 to clinch the bronze medal, securing her place in India’s Olympic historical past.

A glimpse into Bhaker’s profession
 

Born in Jhajjar, Haryana, a state famend for its boxers and wrestlers, Bhaker explored varied sports activities, together with tennis, skating, and boxing, throughout her faculty years. She additionally excelled within the martial artwork ‘thang ta’, successful nationwide medals. Impressed by the 2016 Rio Olympics, she took up taking pictures at 14 and shortly made a mark.
 

On the 2017 Nationwide Capturing Championships, Bhaker shocked Olympian Heena Sidhu by successful 9 gold medals, setting a report rating within the 10m Air Pistol ultimate. Her breakthrough yr got here in 2018, with a gold medal on the Commonwealth Video games at simply 16 years outdated.
 

Bhaker’s success continued as she gained the Youth Olympics Gold in 2018 and the Ladies’s 10m Air Pistol on the Worldwide Capturing Sport Federation World Cup in Mexico. She secured an Olympic quota place with a fourth-place end on the 2019 Munich ISSF World Cup however confronted disappointment on the Tokyo Video games.
 

Undeterred, Bhaker went on to turn out to be the junior world champion within the ladies’s 10m air pistol at Lima shortly after the Tokyo Olympics. She then secured a silver medal within the ladies’s 25m pistol on the 2022 Cairo World Championships, adopted by a gold medal in the identical occasion on the 2023 Asian Video games in Hangzhou.

Manu Bhaker’s achievements earlier than Paris Olympics

Asian Video games 2022 – Gold medal in 25m pistol workforce

World Championship, Baku 2023 – Gold medal in 25m pistol workforce

Asian Capturing Championship, Changwon 2023 – fifth place in 25m pistol, secured a Paris Video games 2024 Quota

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

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

 World College Video games, Chengdu 2021 –

  • Gold medal in 10m air pistol particular person
  • Gold medal in ladies’s workforce occasion

Manu Bhaker in combined workforce occasion
 

A day after securing the bronze medal within the ladies’s 10m air pistol occasion, Manu Bhaker will return to competitors right this moment. On Day 3, the younger athlete will be a part of Sarabjot Singh for the qualifying spherical of the 10m air pistol combined workforce occasion. Rhythm Sangwan and Arjun Singh will kind the opposite Indian pair collaborating in the identical occasion.