Paris: Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has made history by becoming the first woman shooter from India to win an Olympic medal. Bhaker claimed a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
In a gripping final, the 22-year-old Bhaker narrowly missed out on silver, finishing just 0.1 points behind South Korea’s Kim Yeji. Kim Yeji ultimately secured the silver, while her compatriot Oh Ye Jin took home the gold medal.
This remarkable achievement comes three years after Bhaker’s Tokyo Olympics campaign was disrupted by a pistol malfunction. The nine-time World Cup medallist’s triumph is a significant milestone, as she becomes the fifth Indian to win an Olympic medal in shooting.
Bhaker’s success is especially notable as she is the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final in an individual shooting event in the past 20 years. The last Indian woman to achieve this was Suma Shirur, who competed in the 10m air rifle event at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Furthermore, Bhaker has set another record by being the first Indian woman to qualify for the final round of the 10m air pistol event at any Olympics.
Prior to the Paris Olympics, Indian shooters had won four Olympic medals, all achieved by men. The most recent medals came at the London 2012 Olympics, where Gagan Narang secured bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle, and Vijay Kumar won silver in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol.
Bhaker’s performance in Paris marks a historic and inspiring moment for Indian shooting, showcasing the potential of Indian women in the sport and setting a new benchmark for future athletes.
