Paris, July 28, 2024 — In a landmark achievement for Indian sports, Manu Bhaker has become the first woman shooter from India to win an Olympic medal, clinching a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics on Sunday. Bhaker, 22, finished just 0.1 points behind South Korea’s Kim Yeji, who took the silver. Oh Ye Jin, also from South Korea, captured the gold.
Bhaker’s triumph comes three years after her Tokyo Olympics campaign was marred by a pistol malfunction. This latest victory not only underscores her resilience but also marks a historic moment for Indian shooting. With this win, she joins an elite group of Indian shooters, becoming only the fifth to medal in the sport at the Olympics.
The Paris Olympics began on a high note for Bhaker, who secured her place in the finals by finishing third in the qualification rounds with a score of 580. Her exceptional performance included setting a record for the highest number of Perfect Scores (27) in the qualification stage. This remarkable feat earned her a spot in the final, where she became the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final in an individual shooting event in the past two decades.
The last Indian woman to achieve a similar milestone was Suma Shirur, who competed in the final of the 10m air rifle event at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Notably, Bhaker’s achievement also makes her the first Indian woman to qualify for the final round of the 10m air pistol event at any Olympics.
Bhaker’s bronze medal stands as a significant achievement for Indian shooting, a field that had previously seen its last Olympic medals in London 2012. In that edition, rifle shooter Gagan Narang and pistol shooter Vijay Kumar brought home bronze and silver, respectively.
As Bhaker stands on the podium, her success is not only a personal triumph but also a beacon of hope for aspiring shooters in India. Her performance at the Paris Olympics has set a new standard and reignited the spirit of Indian shooting on the global stage.
