After a disappointing first day of the Paris Olympics, India roared on Sunday with shooter Manu Bhaker ensuring the country’s first medal win in the ongoing edition of the grand sporting event.
Manu Bhaker clinched the bronze medal in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol final at the Chatearoux Shooting Center.
She also became the first Indian woman to win a medal in the shooting event of the Olympics.
Giving India more hope, Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal reached the Men’s and Women’s 10m Air Rifle finals.
Manu showed skill and brilliance right from the beginning when she finished third in the qualifiers and advanced to the medal round.
In the final, she exhibited her expertise and thrilled the spectators by firing back-to-back 10s, crossing the critical 200-point threshold.
At one point in the final, Manu’s solid 10.1 shot momentarily placed her in second position.
She was narrowly removed from the silver-winning spot by South Korean Kim Yeji with a 10.5.
Keeping herself determined and focused, Manu assured a bronze finish by securing a total score of 221.7 points.
India waited for 12 years for a medal in the shooting event with the last being won by rapid-fire pistol shooter Vijay Kumar. He won a silver in the London Olympics in 2012.
Ten-metre air rifle marksman Gagan Narang won bronze in the same edition of the event.
Narendra Modi describes the moment as ‘historic’
Indian PM Narendra Modi described the medal victory as ‘historic’.
He posted on X: ” A historic medal! Well done, @realmanubhaker, for winning India’s FIRST medal at #ParisOlympics2024! Congrats for the Bronze. This success is even more special as she becomes the 1st woman to win a medal in shooting for India. An incredible achievement!”
Indian President Droupadi Murmu wishes Manu
“Heartiest congratulations to Manu Bhaker for opening India’s medal tally with her bronze medal in the 10 metre air pistol shooting event at the Paris Olympics. She is the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in a shooting competition. India is proud of Manu Bhaker. Her feat is going to inspire many sportspersons, especially women. I wish she scales greater heights of accomplishment in the future,” Droupadi Murmu posted on X.
Olympic gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra feels proud of Manu
Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra said he felt proud of Manu’s achievement in Olympics and wrote on X: “Heartiest congratulations to Manu Bhaker for clinching the bronze medal in the air pistol event at Paris 2024! Your relentless dedication, hard work, and passion have truly paid off. It’s incredible to witness your skill and determination, bringing pride to India with each shot. This achievement is a testament to your perseverance and determination. Keep shining, Manu! “
Olympic silver-medalist Rajyavardhan Rathore praises Manu for scripting history
Olympic silver medalist Rajyavardhan Rathore congratulated Manu for scripting history in the shooting arena and wrote in his remark on X: “Manu Bhaker makes history as India’s first medallist at #Paris202! She clinched a bronze medal in shooting, marking a stellar achievement for Indian sports. Congratulations to Manu on this remarkable feat!”
