New Delhi, July 28: Manu Bhaker made history on Sunday by becoming the first Indian woman and the fifth Indian overall to win an Olympic medal in shooting. She secured a bronze medal in the women's individual 10m air pistol event, marking India's entry into the Paris Olympics 2024.
This achievement follows the Olympic successes of Gagan Narang and Vijay Kumar, who both earned medals at the London 2012 Olympics and ended India's 13-year wait for a shooting medal in the Olympics.
The 22-year-old Bhaker completed her performance with 22 shots, achieving a total score of 221.7. She narrowly missed surpassing second-place Yeji Kim by just 0.1 points
Bhaker launched her campaign with a strong start, scoring 50.2 from her initial five shots in the first series, placing her in second position behind South Korea’s Ye Jin Oh, who led with an impressive 52.2.
Maintaining her composure, Bhaker almost matched her first series performance with a score of 50.1 in Series 2, bringing her total to 100.3. However, both Ye Jin Oh and Kim Yeji surpassed her, relegating Bhaker to third place by the end of the five-shot series.
A fierce contest ensued among the top three, with Bhaker, Ye Jin Oh, and Kim Yeji constantly exchanging positions throughout Stage 2, which featured single-shot rounds.
In a dramatic moment during shot 21, Bhaker briefly edged ahead of Kim Yeji by 0.1 points, securing a medal position. However, with her 22nd shot, Kim Yeji reclaimed her lead by another 0.1 points, moving back into second place.
