Manu Bhaker carved her name into the history books by securing India’s first bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. She ended a twelve-year Olympic medal drought for India in shooting and became the first Indian woman to achieve this feat. Manu won bronze in the 10m air pistol event with a score of 221.7, bringing immense pride to the nation.
Born on February 18, 2002, to Ram Krishan Bhakar and Sumedha Bhakar, Manu completed her schooling at Universal Public Secondary School. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science from Delhi University.
Manu’s sports journey is remarkable. Growing up in Jhajjar, Haryana, a state renowned for its boxers and wrestlers, she decided to take up shooting at the age of 14.
Before this, Manu had shown her talent in various sports including tennis, skating, boxing, and the martial art ‘thang ta.’ Her diverse athletic background highlights her exceptional versatility.
As per the Olympics website, Manu’s journey into shooting began impulsively after the Rio Olympics in 2016. She asked her father to buy her a pistol within a week, and thus began her serious training.
Manu’s perseverance is inspirational. Despite multiple setbacks, including a near-miss at the Asian Games, she never gave up. She gained fame by winning at the Youth Olympics, establishing herself as a shooting prodigy. At sixteen, she became India’s first Olympic gold medalist in shooting, earning national acclaim, and later secured a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Three years ago, Manu faced a heartbreaking defeat at the Tokyo Olympics due to a gun malfunction. However, she found solace and motivation in spirituality, guided by the holy Gita. Reflecting on her experience, Manu shared:
“I have become religious after Tokyo but not in an extreme way (laughs). I believe that there is an energy that guides us and protects us. And there is an aura around us that feeds on that energy. I think there should be some faith in God who has created us. The most famous quote in Gita is don’t worry about the results, just keep working diligently. So the same was going on in my mind (in the final).”
Triumphant Win at Paris Olympics
Manu Bhaker’s victory at the Paris Olympics was a testament to her resilience and determination. Her historic bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol finals, with a total score of 221.7 points, brought immense pride to India. Although she narrowly missed the silver, South Korea’s Jin Ye Ho and Yeji Kim claimed gold and silver respectively.
Wishes from PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Manu on her historic win, acknowledging her resilience and excellence. He expressed his happiness, stating:
“At Tokyo, the weapon betrayed you. But this time, you took care of everything. After hearing about your medal, I’m very happy. You lost a silver medal by 0.1, but you still made us all proud (with a medal). You’re getting credit for two things (winning India’s first medal at Paris 2024 and becoming the first woman shooter from India to win an Olympics medal).”
Congratulations to Manu Bhaker on her historic Paris Olympic win!
