The 2024 Paris Olympics is finally underway and the qualification rounds for shooting events took place on Saturday. Overall, it was quite an underwhelming day for the Indian shooters, with most of the Indian contingent not making it to the finals. But every dark cloud has a silver lining. And today, India’s silver lining was the 22-year-old Manu Bhaker.
With a score of 580 points at the end of the day, Manu Bhaker finished 3rd in the Qualifications round just a meagre 2 points off the Hungarian Veronika Major who topped the ranking. After impressive starts in the first and the second series, scoring 97 in each, Manu Bhaker secured the 4th spot in the rankings. But with an excellent 3rd series in which she scored 98, she jumped up two places into the top two. That was until the 5th series where she scored an 8, her first and only sub-par score of the night.
On Sunday, Manu Bhaker will have the chance to write history at the Olympics becoming India’s first medallist in the 2024 Summer Games. The Finals are always the toughest stretch of any competition. It is the stage where the unthinkable can always happen. Bhaker could win a Gold and finish 5th or 6th depending on how she performs on the big stage. But this already is a big step up for Manu Bhaker from the last time she was in the Olympics.
Heartbreak in Tokyo
3 years ago, 19-year-old Manu Bhaker was left in tears after she couldn’t even make the finals at Tokyo in the 10-metre Air Pistol event. She went to Tokyo as the World no. 1, and as one of India’s brightest Medal hopes, but returned empty-handed with nothing to be proud of. The heartbreak at Tokyo was followed by a massive dip in form for the young Haryana girl. But inside of her lived on that young girl who once dreamed of greatness. Now, 3 years on, Manu Bhaker is one of India’s biggest medal hopes at the Paris Olympics.
In an interview with IndiaToday, Manu Bhaker talked about taking lessons from her defeat in Tokyo. Bhaker said, “I do have Tokyo always in my mind. Sometimes in conscious thoughts, sometimes in the back of my head. I try and take out lessons, but sometimes I do feel bad also about how it all unfolded. It makes me unhappy, but I try to tell myself that it’s been a long time and I should just focus on the present and learn to live at the moment. Taking lessons from it is the best option that I have.”
On Sunday, Manu Bhaker will try to achieve prestige in Paris and end India’s 12-year drought of Olympic Medals in shooting. The best part for Manu Bhaker though is yet to come, as she will also be competing in the 25-metre pistol event later on. A good showing at the Finals tomorrow could be all the confidence boost she needs for her next event. Who knows, the Haryana-born girl who lost out in 2021, could be the woman who brings home not one but 2 Olympic Medals.
