Manu Bhaker Paris Olympics 2024:
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has made history. She put on an electrifying performance at the Paris Olympic 2024 and clinched a bronze medal. Manu became the first Indian woman to win any medal in shooting. Her journey to this medal has not been easy.
This is only Manu Bhaker's second Olympics. She made her debut at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 where her pistol malfunctioned during the 10-meter air pistol qualification round, preventing her from winning a medal. However, this time, Manu showcased her full strength and dominated luck to secure a medal. She also came close to winning medals in the mixed team 10-meter pistol and 25-meter pistol events.
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Only Indian Athlete to Participate in Multiple Events
At the Paris 2024 Olympic shooting competition, 22-year-old Manu Bhaker competed in the women’s 10-meter air pistol, 10-meter air pistol mixed team, and women’s 25-meter pistol events. She was the only athlete from the 21-member Indian shooting team to participate in multiple individual events.
Manu secured India's quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics by finishing fifth in the women's 25-meter pistol event at the 2023 Asian Shooting Championship. Manu Bhaker is also the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. She was the champion in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, where she won the top medal with a CWG record.
Manu Bhaker became the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games at Buenos Aires 2018 and the first female athlete from India to achieve this feat. She also won the title in the women's 25-meter team pistol event at the Asian Games last year.
Switched from Boxing to Shooting After an Eye Injury
Born in Jhajjar, Haryana, Manu Bhaker participated in tennis, skating, and boxing competitions during her school days. She also won medals in a martial art called 'Thang Ta' at the national level. Her boxing journey came to an end after she suffered an eye injury. Driven by her passion for sports, Manu transitioned to become a remarkable shooter.
At the age of 14, shortly after the Rio Olympics 2016 ended, Manu decided to pursue a career in shooting. Within a week, she asked her father to bring her a shooting pistol. Her supportive father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, bought her a gun, and that decision eventually turned Manu into an Olympian.
In 2018, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.
Manu Bhaker made her debut at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, but her pistol malfunctioned during the 10-meter air pistol qualification round, preventing her from advancing further.
Manu secured India's quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics by finishing fifth in the women's 25-meter pistol event at the 2023 Asian Shooting Championship.
At the Paris Olympics 2024, Manu clinched a bronze medal in the 10-meter air pistol event, becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics.
