Hailing from Haryana, Manu Bhaker brought immense pride to the nation with her outstanding performance on Sunday.Her bronze medal victory in the highly competitive women’s 10 m air pistol competition showcased her exceptional skills and unwavering determination.
Earlier, PM Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Bhaker on becoming the first woman to win a medal in the shooting competition.
“A historic medal! Well done, @realmanubhaker, for winning India’s FIRST medal at #ParisOlympics2024! Congrats for the Bronze,” Modi said in a post on X.
“This success is even more special as she becomes the first woman to win a medal in shooting for India. An incredible achievement!” PM Modi added.
Manu Bhaker finished in third place, just 0.1 points behind the silver medallist Oh Yejin of South Korea, while fellow Korean Kim Yeji secured the gold.
With this triumph, Manu ended India’s 12-year Olympic medal drought in shooting. The last time India won a medal in shooting was at the 2012 Summer Games when Gagan Narang clinched a bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle in London.
In her first reaction after her maiden victory, Manu Bhaker said that a firm belief in herself helped her chase her dreams.
“I put in a lot of effort. This is a bronze but I’m happy I could win a bronze for the country. I read a lot of Gita. As Lord Krishna says, focus on karma, not on the outcome of the karma,” Bhaker told the media after winning the bronze medal.
“After Tokyo, I was very disappointed however, I came back stronger. Let the past remain in the past,” she said when asked about what her solid comeback in Paris meant for her.