After earning two bronze medals at the Olympics, Manu Bhaker talk candidly about his life
Kolkata: Following her incredible double-bronze performance at the Olympics in Paris, Manu Bhaker has been candid about how her life has altered. She knows how important it is to maintain realism, and she yearned for a third medal.
“I understand how hard it is to place fourth,” Manu said to Boria Majumdar at the RevSportz-hosted Trailblazers 3.0 Conclave in Kolkata.
“Indian marksmen are excellent. We are naturally skilled at it, and we are right there at the top. Our minds are highly acute. We simply need to be focused and keep working,” Manu said.
She has had an absolutely remarkable trip. Manu, a gifted athlete who did not win a medal in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, became the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics in Paris.
Her journey from humble origins to the highest level of her sport is a testament to tenacity, fortitude, and the unwavering quest for greatness.
“There are several modifications we can do. Women are capable of many things. It involves altering our perspective on certain issues. There is no issue with talent. We must have faith. And we’ve got it. Many individuals are having a significant impact. We can do better in the future. The bronze isn’t the point. On the largest platform, we can hear the national anthem,” Manu said.
Bhaker became the first female shooter to earn an Olympic medal for India when she placed third in the women’s individual 10m air pistol event, opening India’s medal total. After that, Sarabjot Singh and Bhaker took home the bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol competition, marking India’s first-ever shooting team medal.
She placed fourth in the women’s 25-meter pistol shooting event and just missed out on the historic grand treble in her last event. She lost the chance to make Olympic history by being the first Indian to win three medals.
After a dismal 2021 Olympic campaign in Tokyo, when a gun failure robbed her of a medal, the young shooter’s sweet redemption arrived. Her gun broke down during the Tokyo Olympics’ 10 m air pistol qualifying round, costing her a significant amount of time.
There wasn’t much time left for her to complete her allotted number of shots. She finished in 12th place, missing the top-eight finish needed to advance to the final round. She placed 15th in the 25-meter pistol event, failing to go further. She placed ninth overall in the mixed team 10 m air pistol event, which was another setback.
