New Delhi: After her disappointing outing at the Tokyo Olympics, India’s star shooter Manu Bhaker is set for another shot at glory in the Paris Olympics 2024. Bhaker will be heading to the Paris Olympics with a massive hope for India in the 21-member strong shooting contingent.
All you need to know about Manu Bhaker
Manu Bhaker was born in Jhajjar, Haryana and is a young and prodigious shooter. She became India’s youngest gold medalist in an ISSF World Cup when she burst onto the global scene at an early age. Her journey began at the age of 14, just after the Rio Olympics. Getting unwavering support from her father, she hastily rose through national championships breaking records and defeating seasoned competitors like Heena Sidhu.
She made her debut at the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico. Bhaker not only set a junior world record but also won gold in the 10m Air Pistol event surpassing Olympic champions and pro shooters. This victory marked the beginning of an excellent streak that included multiple gold medals on the junior circuit and setting a Games record at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
However, Bhaker faced challenges during the 2018 Asian Games despite her growing popularity. But what made history was when she represented India at the Youth Olympics held in Buenos Aires by being the first-ever Indian female shooter to strike a gold medal. This success highlighted her capabilities but also showed how difficult it could be to switch from junior to senior competitions.
Bhaker partnered with Saurabh Chaudhary for mixed team events which proved particularly successful as they won consecutive gold medals at ISSF World Cups.
Their joint effort became a goal of aspiration before the Tokyo Olympics, where anticipations were high. However, her debut didn’t go as planned as her pistol developed a snag in the middle of the 10m air pistol qualification. She had to move away from the competition to fix her gun and her rhythm got disturbed.
Even after competing in 10m pistol and 25m pistol events later, Bhaker fell short of her medal dreams at Tokyo 2020. After the Olympics, Bhaker kept shining in junior tournaments, further enhancing her stature as an exceptional talent.
Bhaker’s recent achievements
She faced hurdles in senior competitions failing to replicate earlier success since 2021. Nonetheless, sheer determination and skill are still visible in her actions as she continues to strive tirelessly with hopes of getting back to the elite shooters’ group. Throughout her career span, Manu Bhaker had depicted endurance and zeal against all odds bringing remarkable changes to Indian shooting on the world level.
As she moves through the complexities within top-level ranges so does her quest to incite all young athletes across India reminding them about the tenacity and persistence required for any sporting greatness.
Bhaker won the silver medal in the women’s 25m pistol at the 2022 Cairo World Championship. She also won a gold medal in the same event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. She secured a Paris 2024 Olympic quota for India after finishing fifth in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Shooting Championship 2023 in Changwon
After her failure in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Manu Bhaker will be eying for a medal in the shooting for India. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
