She is at it again! Manu Bhaker brought home India’s second medal at the Paris Olympics just 2 days after becoming the first woman to ever clinch a medal in shooting for India. With the help of Sarabjot Singh, India won the Bronze medal after defeating South Korea, 16-10, in the Bronze Medal match.
This victory meant that Manu Bhaker is now the ONLY Indian who has ever won 2 Olympic Medals in the same edition of the Olympics post India’s independence. At just 22 years of age, Bhaker has been breaking records for fun at the Paris Olympics, and Indians would hope that she keeps doing so.
With underwhelming performances on the first day of the Olympics, it felt like Indian shooters would return home yet again empty-handed. Just like they did in the last two editions, the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But Manu Bhaker was determined not to have a similar route as she had in her debut Olympics.
And that determination has now brought two Bronze medals for India in Paris. Interestingly, both have come in the 10m Air Pistol category. While Manu Bhaker will take away most of the spotlight today, Sarabjot Singh deserves his credit just as much.
Sarabjot was born in the same state as Manu Bhaker, in Haryana. And like Manu, he has been through a lot of ups and downs at the Olympic Games. At first, a young Sarabjot Singh wanted to be a footballer but later told his father that he wanted to pursue shooting.
Earlier in the Olympics, Sarabjot Singh missed out on the Final round Qualification for the Men’s 10m Air Pistol event by literally the barest of margins. But just 3 days later, the 22-year-old was able to put his disappointment aside and give his best when his country needed him the most resulting in a Bronze medal in the Mixed 10m Air Pistol event for him and his country.
Manu Bhaker will be returning to the shooting range tomorrow to participate in what will be her final event at this year’s Olympic Games. The Women’s 25m Air Pistol event is supposed to be her best event. And looking at her winning momentum it wouldn’t be hard to not think of her winning not 1, not 2, but 3 medals in the 2024 Olympics. Can she bring the Third one home in the next few days? Only time will tell, but tonight, she and Sarabjot Singh will surely be sleeping with a smile on their face.
