- Sunday, March 23, 2025
The 22-year-old shot 28 in the eight-women final to miss out on completing a hat-trick of medals in a single edition of the Games
By: Shajil Kumar
MANU BHAKER finished fourth in the women’s 25m pistol shooting event and capped a magnificent campaign in the ongoing Olympic Games with an unprecedented two medals here on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Bhaker shot 28 in the eight-women final to miss out on completing a hat-trick of medals in a single edition of the Games. She lost to Hungarian bronze medallist Veronika Major in the shoot-off.
Before Bhaker, no Indian athlete has claimed more than one medal at the same Olympics.
In the qualification on Friday, Bhaker shot a total of 590 (294 in precision, 296 in rapid) out of a possible 600 to reach her third final of this Olympics at second place.
Earlier in the sporting spectacle, Bhaker had won bronze in the individual 10m air pistol competition and then combined with Sarabjot Singh to claim another third-place finish in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.
Bhaker’s second bronze had made her the first Indian after Independence to win two medals at the same Olympic Games.
“I got like really nervous about it, but again, I was trying my best to keep calm and to just try to do my best. But that was not enough,” Manu said after the event.
Manu looked dejected after she lost to eventual bronze medallist Veronika Major of Hungary in the shoot-off.
“It (Olympics) turned out to be very good for me, but well, there’s always a next time so I’m already looking forward to the next one,” she said.
“I’m glad that I got two medals, but right now, I’m not very… well, fourth place is not a very good place,” said Manu with tears in her eyes.
No distraction
Manu said she wasn’t distracted by all the expectations around her and had completely switched off.
“Honestly, I’ve been off the social media and I have not been checking my phone, so I don’t know what’s going on. But I just know that I was trying my best and I was trying to deliver a good performance,” she said.
“In most of the events I was able to (give a good performance), and in this one, I was not able to do as good. The moment my match was over, I was like, ‘okay, the next time’,” said Manu, already setting her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“There has been a lot of hard work going on backstage. Like I’m here – what you see – but like so many people have been working hard so that I can make it to the podium and so that India can win a medal,” she said.
“I am so happy that my entire team was there for me to support me throughout my journey,” Manu added. (PTI)
