Manu Bhaker etched her name in history books as she won the first-ever bronze medal in the Paris Olympics 2024. She broke India's twelve-year hiatus for an Olympic medal in the shooting category and became the first woman to achieve the goal. On Sunday, Manu Bhaker won bronze in the 10m air pistol event with a score of 221.7. While the entire nation is proud of her, we bring you all the details of Manu.
Manu was born on 18 February 2002 to Ram Krishan Bhakar and Sumedha Bhakar. She did her schooling at Universal Public Secondary School and is currently pursuing her graduation in Political Science from Delhi University.
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Manu Bhaker's versatility in sports is truly impressive. Hailing from Jhajjar, Haryana, a state known for its boxers and wrestlers, she made a bold decision at the age of 14 to venture into the world of shooting. Prior to this, she had excelled in various sports such as tennis, skating, and boxing during her school days, and even participated in the 'thang ta' martial art. Her diverse sports background is a testament to her all-round athletic prowess.
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As per the Olympics website, Manu impulsively decided to try her hands on shooting and eventually fell in love with it. She started practising in 2016 after the Rio Olympics and asked her father to get her a pistol within a week so she could excel in the craft.
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Manu showcased a great example of strength and perseverance, never letting go of her dream, even after multiple failures. From the silver lining of the Asian Junior Championships to the near-miss at the Asian Games, Manu never gave up. She rose to fame after winning the Youth Olympics, which solidified her status as a shooting prodigy. At sixteen, she became India's first Olympic gold medalist in shooting, catapulting her to national stardom. She also has a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games under her kitty.
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Three years ago, Manu suffered a devastating defeat at the Tokyo Olympics, where a gun malfunction cost her the medal. However, the athelete did not give up, took the spiritual oath, and let the holy Gita guide her. Talking about the same, Manu added:
"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)."
Manu Bhaker's journey to success was a testament to her resilience and determination. It wasn't an easy road, but it was certainly a glorious one. Manu Bhaker's historic win at the Paris Olympics, securing a bronze in women's 10m air pistol finals, is a moment of pride for India. She finished the event with a total of 221.7 points, tantalisingly close to notching a silver. South Korea's Jin Ye Ho and Yeji Kim won the gold and silver medals, respectively.
PM Modi congratulated Manu on her historic win and called her. He hailed her performance and consoled her for winning silver by just a fraction. Narendra Modi further added:
"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.
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