New Delhi: Manu Bhaker is relieved to have got the monkey off her back with her maiden Olympics medal. At Tokyo 2020, she was nowhere near the podium.
But at Paris 2024, she atoned in quite a style, claiming bronze in the 10m air pistol event. It is India’s first shooting medal at Olympics since rapid-fire pistol shooter Vijay Kumar claimed silver and Gagan Narang got bronze in the 10m air rifle event.
The 22-year-old Manu got bronze with a score of 221.7, behind South Korea’s Olympic Record breaking 243.2 score and Kim Yeji’s silver with a total of 241.3.
‘After Tokyo, I was very disappointed. It took me a long time to get over that,” Manu told to Sports 18 after her performance.
“The feeling is really surreal, it takes a lot of effort. In the last shot, I was fighting with all the energy I had. Maybe I can get better in the next (event). I was doing what I was supposed to do and reading Geeta helped me a lot. I focus on the karma and not the outcome.”
Manu said she left the result to destiny and was determined to focus on her performance.
“As soon as the qualification was over, I didn’t know how things were going to be. We have worked hard. We have to leave the rest to destiny and God. We will do as much as we can. It is a very good feeling,” she said.
“Thank you so much for sticking by me (to all the friends, relatives and well-wishers!). It is for them that I am standing here strong. Every single time I am putting so much effort and you all made my life so easy.”
A historic medal!
Well done, @realmanubhaker, for winning India’s FIRST medal at #ParisOlympics2024! Congrats for the Bronze. This success is even more special as she becomes the 1st woman to win a medal in shooting for India.
An incredible achievement!#Cheer4Bharat
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 28, 2024
PM Narendra Modi lauded Manu, noting that her achievement is special as she became the first woman to win an Olympics medal in shooting for the country.
“A historic medal! Well done, @realmanubhaker, for winning India’s FIRST medal at #ParisOlympics2024! Congrats for the Bronze. This success is even more special as she becomes the 1st woman to win a medal in shooting for India. An incredible achievement!,” he wrote on social media platform X.
The 22-year-old Manu Bhaker got a 10m air pistole bronze medal at Paris Olympics with a score of 221.7, earning praise from PM Narendra Modi Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
