Who is Manu Bhaker? Know All About India's First Medallist At Paris Olympics 2024

Manu Bhaker registered her name in the Indian sporting history on Sunday as she snatched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. The 22-year-old became the first woman ever to win a shooting medal for India at the prestigious Olympic Games. Missing a silver by a mere difference of 0.1, Bhaker claimed the bronze at the Women’s 10m air pistol final event. Moving forward in the tournament, Bhaker will also perform in the women’s team event. Manu Bhaker's win at the Olympics has thrilled the entire nation, but it shouldn't come as a surprise. She isn't an underdog who suddenly emerged; she's a prodigy with a strong track record of success in her sport long before the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Manu Bhaker And Her Foray Into Shooting

Born in Jhajjar, Haryana, Bhaker has always been into sports, even if not necessarily shooting. Bhaker’s initial interaction with sports happened at school, where she took up the likes of tennis, skating, and boxing. However, the one she followed keenly was an unconventional one: a form of martial arts known as ‘Thang Ta,’ which earned her a medal at the national level.

At the age of 14, Bhaker decided to try her hand at shooting after the Rio Olympics. The teenager instantly liked the sport and demanded a pistol from her father. Her parents, never the ones to hold their child back from following her interests, provided her with the opportunity and the pistol to follow her natural calling.

A Prodigy Right From The Start: Bhaker's Medal Exploits Before The 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Within a year of taking up shooting, Bhaker entered the National Shooting Championships, where she shot a record score of 242.3, overturning the records set by former World No. 1 Heena Sidhu. Consequently, Manu won the 10m air pistol final at the championship with her record-breaking shot. Next up was a silver medal win at the 2017 Asian Junior Championships before Bhaker debuted at the International Sport Shooting Federation in Mexico.

Breaking the junior world record in the qualification round, Bhaker advanced to the final round to face Olympic gold-medalist Anna Korakaki and three-time World Cup medalist Celine Goberville. Destined to be a history-maker, Bhaker shot a total of 237.5 to win the gold medal at her debut. The then 16-year-old became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF. Bhaker followed up with another gold win with Om Prakash Mitherval in the mixed event. Still eligible for the ISSF Junior Championships, Bhaker won more gold medals in the 10m air pistol singles and mixed events.Bhaker continued her winning streak by snatching the gold medal in shooting at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

In the same year, the shooter won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol event at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Bhaker became the first Indian shooter and the first-ever female Indian athlete to win a medal at the Youth Olympics. More gold medal wins in singles and mixed events at ISSF World Cups in 2019, and a fourth-place finish in the championship in Munich, landed Bhaker a well-deserved qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Heartbreak In Tokyo And The Redemption In Paris

Manu Bhaker, still a teenager, joined the Indian contingent for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as one of the top medal contenders. However, luck betrayed Bhaker in the event as her pistol malfunctioned. Bhaker had to leave the arena to manage another pistol; however, the lapse made her lag behind, leaving just 36 minutes for her to complete 44 shots. The Tokyo Olympics didn’t fare well for Bhaker, where she lost in the mixed event and the 25m pistol event as well.

Following the heartbreaking defeat, Bhaker had a fallout with her coach Jaspal Rana. The world bore witness to the ugly spat as an agitated Rana and Bhaker turned away from each other following a spirited row. However, a losing streak at various events after 2021 made Bhaker contemplate many things. An undergraduate from the prestigious Lady Shri Ram College of Delhi University, Bhaker even thought about leaving the sport altogether to pursue higher studies abroad.

Thankfully, Bhaker quickly moved on from the thought and figured she worked best with Rana. The young shooter called Rana to make amends and unite with him again to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The rest, as they say, is history. Manu Bhaker has snatched the first medal for India at the event. Now, the audience is keen to follow her performance in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, where she is paired with Sarabjot Singh. The event is scheduled to unfold on 29th July at 12:45 pm IST.