CHATEAUROUX: Three years ago at Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker, then 19, had tears in her eyes. Burdened with great expectations, she failed to make the finals. She was bogged down by the hype of being the prodigy who would rule the world of shooting. Defeat left her broken. But she healed fast and has returned to show why she will be on top for a while.
On Sunday, Manu, now 22, shot like a pro, like she has been for months now.No nerves, no excuses, no meltdown. She was in the zone, making history by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal — a bronze in 10m air pistol.
The gold and silver went to South Korea.
“It was very intense. The pressure was immense, but Manu was very brave. Really proud of her,” her personal coach Jaspal Rana said.
It wasn’t the smoothest ride for Manu leading up to Paris: she had not won an Olympic quota in this discipline. However, she performed brilliantly in the trials and was picked for 10m air pistol, apart from the 25m air pistol event.
As soon as the bronze was confirmed, coach Rana, sitting in the press tribune, walked out satisfied, smiling. Manu said later: “This is because of the hard work we put in. This medal is a result of our blood and sweat and dedicated to my nation. I had figured out where he was sitting – inside the shooting range – and kept making eye contact with him. It gave me the courage to fight on every shot.”
Jaspal, himself a former champion pistol shooter, has played a huge role in helping Manu forget her bitter past, made her mentally tougher and worked hard on her technique. All the hard work paid off.
At the medal ceremony, Manu was beaming, secure in the fact that she would not return home with a bag full of shattered dreams. Happy that all the hard work put in after the Tokyo debacle had paid off.
Manu had been in good form when she shot in the mixed event on Saturday. She was getting the 10s consistently. She started the final with a 10.6 and followed it up with a 10.2. She had made her intentions clear.
In the first series, she had two 9s – 9.5 and 9.6. Still, she was third and very much in medal hunt. After the second series, in which she had two 9.6 shots, she was still third with 100.3 points, just behind the two South Koreans who finally finished one-two.
The gold went to Oh Ye Jin and the silver was won by Kim Yeji.
Manu had a fascinating battle with Yeji when the elimination round started. The Indian, who was in the third position, jumped to second with a 10.5 and a 10.4. The Korean had shot 10 and 10.3. The battle for the silver medal had intensified. It was also clear by then that Manu would go on to win a medal unless she succumbed to nerves.
Manu slipped to the third position after three straight 9s – 9.8, 9.8, 9.9. But she recovered with seven straight 10-plus shots. And when the last two shots to decide the bronze medallist came, Manu had edged ahead of Yeji by 0.1 point. But Manu shot a 10.3 while Yeji scored 10.5, going 0.1 ahead to secure the silver.
“It was so close. Yes, 0.1 point, but it happens at this level. I am happy that I could start the medal hunt for the country,” she said.
“It was very intense; I am happy Manu fought the way she did. The pressure was immense, but she was very brave. Really proud of her,” Rana said.
Manu has two more competitions to go – 10m air pistol mixed team event and 25m pistol event.
“Ï have no time to celebrate or reflect on what happened at the shooting range today. I will be back at the range tomorrow and then a few days later. I have work to do. I want more,” she said. Given her form and her confidence, the country can hope for more from this gutsy shooter from Jhajjar, Haryana.
On Sunday, Manu, now 22, shot like a pro, like she has been for months now.No nerves, no excuses, no meltdown. She was in the zone, making history by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal — a bronze in 10m air pistol.
The gold and silver went to South Korea.
“It was very intense. The pressure was immense, but Manu was very brave. Really proud of her,” her personal coach Jaspal Rana said.
It wasn’t the smoothest ride for Manu leading up to Paris: she had not won an Olympic quota in this discipline. However, she performed brilliantly in the trials and was picked for 10m air pistol, apart from the 25m air pistol event.
As soon as the bronze was confirmed, coach Rana, sitting in the press tribune, walked out satisfied, smiling. Manu said later: “This is because of the hard work we put in. This medal is a result of our blood and sweat and dedicated to my nation. I had figured out where he was sitting – inside the shooting range – and kept making eye contact with him. It gave me the courage to fight on every shot.”
Jaspal, himself a former champion pistol shooter, has played a huge role in helping Manu forget her bitter past, made her mentally tougher and worked hard on her technique. All the hard work paid off.
At the medal ceremony, Manu was beaming, secure in the fact that she would not return home with a bag full of shattered dreams. Happy that all the hard work put in after the Tokyo debacle had paid off.
Manu had been in good form when she shot in the mixed event on Saturday. She was getting the 10s consistently. She started the final with a 10.6 and followed it up with a 10.2. She had made her intentions clear.
In the first series, she had two 9s – 9.5 and 9.6. Still, she was third and very much in medal hunt. After the second series, in which she had two 9.6 shots, she was still third with 100.3 points, just behind the two South Koreans who finally finished one-two.
The gold went to Oh Ye Jin and the silver was won by Kim Yeji.
Manu had a fascinating battle with Yeji when the elimination round started. The Indian, who was in the third position, jumped to second with a 10.5 and a 10.4. The Korean had shot 10 and 10.3. The battle for the silver medal had intensified. It was also clear by then that Manu would go on to win a medal unless she succumbed to nerves.
Manu slipped to the third position after three straight 9s – 9.8, 9.8, 9.9. But she recovered with seven straight 10-plus shots. And when the last two shots to decide the bronze medallist came, Manu had edged ahead of Yeji by 0.1 point. But Manu shot a 10.3 while Yeji scored 10.5, going 0.1 ahead to secure the silver.
“It was so close. Yes, 0.1 point, but it happens at this level. I am happy that I could start the medal hunt for the country,” she said.
“It was very intense; I am happy Manu fought the way she did. The pressure was immense, but she was very brave. Really proud of her,” Rana said.
Manu has two more competitions to go – 10m air pistol mixed team event and 25m pistol event.
“Ï have no time to celebrate or reflect on what happened at the shooting range today. I will be back at the range tomorrow and then a few days later. I have work to do. I want more,” she said. Given her form and her confidence, the country can hope for more from this gutsy shooter from Jhajjar, Haryana.
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