On Tuesday, a composed and determined Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win two Olympic medals in a single edition of the Games. Teaming up with the equally unruffled Sarabjot Singh, Bhaker secured a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The Indian duo triumphed over the Korean team of Lee Wonoho and Oh Yeh Jin with a score of 16-10, marking India’s second medal at Chateauroux’s shooting range.
The 22-year-old Bhaker had already clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the same venue on Sunday, effectively overcoming the disappointment of her Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020. This achievement places Bhaker in a unique position in Indian sports history, following in the footsteps of British-Indian athlete Norman Pritchard, who won two silver medals in the 200m sprint and 200m hurdles at the 1900 Olympics, though this was before India’s independence.
This medal also represents a significant success for women’s sports in India and redemption for Sarabjot Singh, who finished ninth in the men’s 10m air pistol final on Saturday with a score of 577.
Expressing her joy and gratitude, Bhaker said, “I’m feeling really proud, and there’s a lot of gratitude. Thanks for all the blessings.” She added, “Actually, we can’t control what the rivals will do; we can only do what we can do, so my partner and I decided to just try our hardest and fight until the end.” Bhaker, who finished seventh in this event at the Tokyo Games with partner Saurabh Chaudhary, demonstrated incredible poise alongside Singh to make this match a one-sided affair.
Agartala Buzz celebrates Manu Bhaker’s historic achievement and continues to follow her inspiring journey. Stay tuned for more updates and coverage on this remarkable athlete and other sports news.