Manu Bhaker made history at the Paris Olympics by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal, securing a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event. The 22-year-old achieved this milestone on Sunday, narrowly missing the silver by just 0.1 points to South Korea’s Kim Yeji, while another South Korean, Oh Ye Jin, claimed the gold.
This triumph comes three years after Bhaker’s Tokyo Olympics bid was thwarted by a pistol malfunction. Her performance in Paris is a remarkable comeback, solidifying her status as one of India’s top shooters. Bhaker’s bronze medal adds to her impressive record, making her only the fifth Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal. She joins the ranks of shooting legends like Abhinav Bindra, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Gagan Narang, and Vijay Kumar.
Bhaker’s journey to the podium began on the first day of the Paris Olympics, where she finished third in the women’s 10m air pistol qualification rounds with a score of 580. Her qualification was marked by a remarkable 27 Perfect Scores, highlighting her exceptional precision and skill. This feat also made her the first Indian woman in 20 years to reach an Olympic final in an individual shooting event, a milestone last achieved by Suma Shirur in the 10m air rifle event at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Moreover, Bhaker’s achievement marks the first time an Indian woman has qualified for the 10m air pistol women’s final round at any Olympics. Her bronze is a historic first for Indian women in shooting at the Olympics, a sport where Indian shooters have previously won four medals, all by men. The last medals for India from the Olympic shooting ranges were won at the 2012 London Olympics by Gagan Narang (bronze in men’s 10m air rifle) and Vijay Kumar (silver in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol).
Bhaker’s remarkable performance at the Paris Olympics not only brings pride to India but also sets a new benchmark for future generations of Indian women shooters. She is now set to compete in the 10m pistol mixed team and 25m pistol events, with hopes of adding more medals to her already illustrious career.