Manu Bhaker opened India's medal tally at the Paris Olympics 2024 by securing a bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event on Sunday. The 19-year-old, one of India's top medal prospects, became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting. Her victory ended India's Olympic shooting medal drought, following a dry spell at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games. Manu completed her redemption with a score of 221.7, after finishing fourth in the qualification round the previous day.
From the start of the second day of the Olympics, all eyes were on Bhaker. Although PV Sindhu, Sreeja Akula, and Nikhat Zareen also achieved notable victories, it was Manu who brought India its first moment of glory, with the national flag flying high. Three years earlier in Tokyo, Manu had faced disappointment when a gun malfunction during qualification prevented her from reaching the finals. She admitted it took time to recover, but her perseverance paid off. Manu nearly secured a silver, momentarily overtaking South Korea's Kim Yegi with a score of 10.3. However, in the final shot, Manu scored 10.3 and Yegi 10.5, securing third place for Manu. Oh Ye Jin of South Korea won gold with an Olympic record score of 243.2.
Hailing from Haryana, a state known for producing boxers and wrestlers, Manu Bhaker has become a formidable figure in the shooting world. In her early years, she was a versatile athlete, excelling in tennis, skating, and the martial art of thang ta, earning national accolades. However, inspired by the 2016 Rio Olympics, she shifted her focus to shooting at the age of fourteen. Convincing her father to buy her a pistol, she began her rapid ascent in the sport.
Her talent quickly became evident when she defeated seasoned Olympian Heena Sidhu at the national championships, making a strong impression in the shooting community. International success followed, including a silver at the Asian Junior Championships and a close call at the Asian Games. Her breakthrough came at the Youth Olympics, where she won gold at sixteen, becoming India's first Olympic gold medalist in shooting.
Under the mentorship of experienced shooter Jaspal Rana, Bhaker's rise continued. A strong performance at the Olympic Selection Trials secured her spot on the Indian shooting team, leading to her Olympic debut in Tokyo.