Manu Bhaker Clinches Bronze at Paris 2024 Olympics in Historic Performance

Paris. Manu Bhaker has made history by winning a bronze medal in the women's 10m air pistol event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking India's first medal in the Games. Bhaker's remarkable performance culminated in a score of 221.7 in the final round, earning her the third spot on the podium.

In a fiercely contested final, Manu narrowly missed out on the silver medal by just 0.1 points in the sixth shoot-off of Stage 2. Korea’s Kim Yeji secured the silver, while her compatriot Oh Ye Jin clinched the gold with an Olympic record. This achievement makes Bhaker the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal and the first Indian to reach an Olympic final in shooting in the last 20 years. Her bronze also signifies India's first shooting medal since the London 2012 Olympics.

Path to the Podium

In the qualification rounds, Manu finished third with a score of 580, achieving the highest number of perfect scores (27). She became the first Indian female shooter to reach an Olympic final in an individual event since Suma Shirur in Athens 2004 and the first Indian woman to qualify for the 10m air pistol women's final at any Olympics.

Government and Financial Support

Key interventions and financial support were crucial to Bhaker’s preparation for Paris 2024. The government provided assistance for ammunition, weapon servicing, and training with her personal coach, Jaspal Rana, in Luxembourg. Financially, Bhaker received Rs. 28,78,634 under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Rs. 1,35,36,155 under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC).

Stellar Career Achievements

Manu Bhaker’s achievements prior to Paris 2024 are impressive:

• Asian Games (2022): Gold in 25m Pistol Team
• World Championship, Baku (2023): Gold in 25m Pistol Team
• Asian Shooting Championship, Changwon (2023): Secured Paris 2024 Quota with 5th place finish in 25m Pistol
• World Cup, Bhopal (2023): Bronze in 25m Pistol
• World Championship, Cairo (2022): Silver in 25m Pistol
• World University Games, Chengdu (2021): 2 Golds in 10m Air Pistol Individual and Women’s Team events

A Journey of Excellence

Born on February 18, 2002, in Jhajjar, Haryana, Bhaker initially engaged in sports like tennis, skating, boxing, and martial arts. Her shift to shooting at age 14, shortly after the 2016 Rio Olympics, led to a series of stunning performances. In 2017, she won nine gold medals at the National Shooting Championships, setting a new record in the 10m Air Pistol final.

Bhaker’s breakthrough year was 2018 when she won gold at the Commonwealth Games at just 16 years old. She continued to excel internationally, securing gold at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Mexico and earning an Olympics quota at the 2019 Munich ISSF World Cup.

Despite a challenging debut at Tokyo 2020, Bhaker rebounded by becoming the junior world champion in 2021 and winning multiple medals in subsequent international events.

Looking Forward

Trained at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi, Manu Bhaker’s dedication and resilience continue to inspire a generation of athletes. Her historic bronze at Paris 2024 is a testament to her skill, determination, and the robust support system that has propelled her to the pinnacle of her sport.

With her latest achievement, Bhaker joins the illustrious list of Indian shooters who have medaled at the Olympics, including Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Abhinav Bindra, Vijay Kumar, and Gagan Narang. As India celebrates this historic moment, Manu Bhaker's legacy as a trailblazer in Indian shooting is firmly established.