Manu Bhaker Clinches Bronze in Women’s 10m Air Pistol at Paris 2024 Olympics

Paris, 28th July 2024: Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has secured the bronze medal in the women’s both the individual 10m air pistol event, marking India’s first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Bhaker finished with a score of 221.7 in the final round, narrowly missing out on the silver medal by just 0.1 point in the sixth shoot-off at Stage 2.

Manu Bhaker’s bronze is a historic achievement as she becomes the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal. Her performance follows her groundbreaking achievement of becoming the first Indian woman in 20 years to reach an Olympic final in an individual event. The last Indian woman to reach such a final was Suma Shirur in the 10m Air Rifle event at the Athens 2004 Olympics. This also marks India’s first medal in shooting since the 2012 London Olympics.

The gold medal in the event was won by South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin, who set a new Olympic record. The silver medal was claimed by Kim Yeji, also from South Korea.

In the qualification rounds, Bhaker finished third with a score of 580, which included the highest number of perfect scores (27). This strong performance in the qualifiers set the stage for her historic final round.

The Indian government’s support played a crucial role in Bhaker’s preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics. This included assistance for ammunition, weapon servicing, pellet and ammunition testing, and barrel selection. Financial assistance was provided under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) amounting to Rs. 28,78,634 and under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) amounting to Rs. 1,35,36,155. Bhaker also received training assistance from her personal coach, Jaspal Rana, in Luxembourg.

Manu Bhaker’s illustrious career includes several notable achievements:

Asian Games 2022: Gold Medal in 25m Pistol Team

World Championship, Baku 2023: Gold Medal in 25m Pistol Team

Asian Shooting Championship, Changwon 2023: Secured Paris Games 2024 quota with 5th place finish in 25m Pistol

World Cup, Bhopal 2023: Bronze Medal in 25m Pistol

World Championship, Cairo 2022: Silver Medal in 25m Pistol

World University Games, Chengdu 2021: 2 Gold Medals in 10m Air Pistol (Individual and Women’s Team Event)

Training Base: Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi

Born on February 18, 2002, in Jhajjar, Haryana, Manu Bhaker initially participated in sports like tennis, skating, boxing, and a martial art called ‘thang ta.’ She discovered her passion for shooting at the age of 14 and quickly rose to prominence. In 2017, she won nine gold medals at the National Shooting Championships, and in 2018, she became a teenage sensation by winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Bhaker also made history at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico, by winning the gold medal in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol.

With her historic bronze medal at Paris 2024, Manu Bhaker has cemented her place in Indian sports history. Her achievements have inspired countless young athletes in India, and she continues to be a beacon of excellence and dedication in the world of shooting.