Paris Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker Shines In Qualifier As India’s Hope For Olympic Gold In Shooting

Paris Olympics 2024: Sports can often be unforgiving, with very slim margins separating success from failure. After a challenging Tokyo Olympics, where a pistol malfunction led to a heartbreaking result, Manu Bhaker redeemed herself with an impressive performance at the Paris Olympics. The 22-year-old from Jhajjar made history by becoming the first female shooter from India to advance to the final of an individual shooting event at the Olympics. With her confident display, Bhaker now has the opportunity to become the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal if she secures the top spot in Sunday’s final.

In the qualifications for the women’s 10m air pistol event, Bhaker shot a score of 580, placing her third overall. Hungarian shooter Veronika Major led the field with a score of 582. Fellow Indian competitor Rhythm Sangwan finished in 15th place with a score of 573, which was disappointing compared to Bhaker’s performance.

Bhaker demonstrated exceptional control throughout the qualification round, which lasted one hour and fifteen minutes. Her challenge now is to maintain that composure during the high-pressure final at the National Shooting Centre. India has not won an Olympic medal in shooting since 2012, and Bhaker is in a strong position to break that drought.

Reflecting on her Tokyo Games setback, Bhaker described it as one of the most painful experiences of her career, admitting that she almost gave up the sport. However, her resilience and ability to bounce back from adversity are what define a champion. Her personal coach, Jaspal Rana, who was emotional after the qualification round, emphasized that the competition is far from over. He advised Bhaker to stay hydrated, especially given the challenging heat conditions in the range.

Meanwhile, 2016 Olympic champion Anna Korakaki, who competed alongside Bhaker, struggled with illness and had to withdraw from the session. Despite the tough day for Indian shooters overall, Bhaker’s stellar performance, including 27 inner 10s—the most in the qualification round—provides a glimmer of hope. Her initial series of seven 10s and three 9s set the tone for her qualification, ensuring her place in the final despite a slip in her performance in the later series.

The day was less successful for other Indian shooters, who did not advance to the finals in the men’s 10m air pistol and 10m air rifle mixed team events, making Bhaker’s achievement all the more significant.