Chateauroux: On Sunday, Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal, securing bronze in the 10m air pistol event. This achievement marked India’s first medal at the Paris Games and ended a 12-year wait for shooting medals.
The last time India won shooting medals was at the 2012 London Olympics, where Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang won silver and bronze in the rapid-fire pistol and 10m air rifle events, respectively. Narang is currently the chef de mission for the Paris contingent.
The 22-year-old Manu Bhaker, from Jhajjar in Haryana, secured the bronze with a score of 221.7 in the 10m air pistol event.
Korea’s Kim Yeji took the silver with a score of 241.3, while Jin Ye Oh of Korea won gold with a Games record of 243.2.
Competing in her second Olympics, Bhaker reflected on her previous disappointment: “After Tokyo, I was very disappointed, and it took me a long time to overcome that. Honestly, I can’t fully express how good I feel today,” she said with a wide smile. Her Tokyo campaign had ended in tears due to a pistol malfunction during qualification.
“I gave it my all and am really grateful for this bronze. I read the Bhagavad Gita and focused on doing my best, leaving the rest to destiny,” added Bhaker, who is also a world champion in the 25m pistol event.
