At the Olympics in Paris, Manu Bhaker was not able to secure the third medal. The 22-year-old finished fourth in the women’s 25-meter pistol final, missing out on the bronze.
Manu finished in the top 5 of an extremely contested final, but in the bronze medal shoot-off, Veronika Major of Hungary won.
Earlier in the competition, Bhaker created history by being the first shooter from India to win two medals in the same Olympic campaign. She won the bronze in the 10m air pistol competition and then joined up with Sarabjot Singh to win the mixed team 10m air pistol competition as well. She finished second in the qualification round, showcasing her outstanding performance and earning a spot in the 25-meter pistol final.
Bhaker had a difficult start to the final after scoring only two points in her first two series. She swiftly recovered, though, and put up a string of powerful strokes to move into the top three. With a flawless series, she displayed her talent and gave India a chance to win another historic medal. After tying for third with Major Veronika, who matched the Olympic qualification record, the tension increased throughout the shoot-off. Regretfully, Major scored four points, securing Bhaker’s position in fourth place. Bhaker only managed to score two points.
Following the tournament, Bhaker voiced her disappointment but maintained her positive outlook for her future endeavors. She now joins the ranks of notable Indian sportsmen like PV Sindhu and Sushil Kumar, who have also captured two medals.
Bhaker’s prior victory in the 10m air pistol competition gave her more confidence and motivated the larger Indian delegation. With his first-ever medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, Swapnil Kusale created history and increased India’s medal total to three, all in shooting.