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2024 turned out to be a game-changing year for shooter Manu Bhaker, who created history at the Paris Olympics 2024 by winning two medals in shooting events, and becoming the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to achieve this feat after Norman Pritchard in 1900.
Bhaker opened India's medal tally at the Paris Olympics by securing third place in the women's individual 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal, adding another milestone to her already illustrious career. Following this, Bhaker, alongside Sarabjot Singh, clinched her second bronze in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event. The duo displayed exceptional consistency, defeating South Korea's Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin with a score of 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off match. Their victory marked India's first-ever shooting team medal at the Olympics. Despite narrowly missing out on a historic treble by finishing fourth in the women's 25m pistol event, Bhaker's achievements in Paris cement her status as the most successful Indian woman shooter in history. Her career is already decorated with gold medals from the World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Youth Olympic Games. This success comes after the heartbreak of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where a pistol malfunction denied Bhaker a shot at a medal in the same event. Her resilience and determination have now propelled her to the pinnacle of Indian shooting sports. Born on February 18, 2002, in Jhajjar, Haryana, Bhaker initially pursued a variety of sports, including tennis, skating, and boxing. She also excelled in 'thang ta', a form of martial arts, winning medals at the national level before dedicating herself to shooting. India's overall performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics was commendable, securing a total of six medals--one silver and five bronze. Swapnil Kusale contributed to the tally with a bronze medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event. The Indian men's hockey team added to the medal count by winning back-to-back bronze medals for the first time in 52 years, defeating Spain 2-1. In track and field, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra narrowly missed defending his Tokyo gold medal, but he brought home a silver with a throw of 89.45m. Wrestler Aman Sehrawat, making his Olympic debut, clinched a bronze medal with a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz. India's impressive haul at the Paris 2024 Olympics underscores the country's growing prowess in a diverse range of sports, setting a promising precedent for future competitions. (ANI)
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