Manu Bhaker Redeems Tokyo Disappointment with Historic Olympic Bronze

Manu Bhaker, a 22-year-old Indian shooter, secured a historic bronze medal in the 10m air pistol event at the Paris Games. Overcoming past disappointments, Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal. Her journey was marked by mental resilience, thanks to her coach Jaspal Rana.

Manu Bhaker doesn't like to settle for second best, let alone third. But Sunday was an exception as the pistol ace exorcised her Tokyo Olympic demons with a historic bronze medal in the ongoing edition of the Games.

Unwavering in her determination, which complements her incredible skills, the 22-year-old Bhaker became the first Indian woman shooter to claim an Olympic medal by snaring a bronze in the 10m air pistol event. ''After Tokyo, I was very disappointed. It took me a long time to get over that,'' Bhaker said on Jio Cinema after her win.

The triumph opened the country's account in the Paris Games and ended a 12-year wait for its much-hyped shooters. Despite a pistol malfunction in the qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 reducing Bhaker to tears, she put up an effort over the past two days that is expected of an athlete who has won many medals on the international stage. ''India deserves many more medals. The feeling is surreal; it takes a lot of effort,'' she said. ''In the last shot, I was fighting with all the energy I had. Maybe I can get better in the next (event).''

Mental toughness is one area where Bhaker has worked a lot over the years, with plenty of help coming from her coach Jaspal Rana. ''I read a lot of Bhagwat Gita, and tried to do just what I am supposed to and left everything else to God. You can only keep trying and keep giving your best,'' Bhaker explained. She qualified for the final after shooting 580, indicating her sights were set on a podium finish this time. Bhaker thanked everyone for sticking by her, especially her coach Jaspal sir, her sponsors OGQ, and her coaches.

(With inputs from agencies.)