Paris Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker created history in Paris Olypics, winning bronze medal on Sunday. Bhaker born on February 18, 2002, is an advanced Indian shooter who has made history in the sport. She became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting by claiming bronze in the 10m air pistol event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Bhakers impressive career is marked by numerous milestones, including winning two gold medals at the 2018 ISSF World Cup. She became the youngest Indian to achieve this feat. Early life of Bhaker Manu Bhaker was born in Haryanas Goria village. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, works as a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy. Before becoming a shooter, she excelled in various sports like martial arts, boxing, tennis and skating. She won national medals until age 14.Early success in shootingAs reported, Bhaker decided to take up competitive shooting and her father invested ₹1,50,000 in shooting. She soon found success, winning silver at the 2017 Asian Junior Championships. At the 2017 National Games in Kerala, Bhaker won 9 gold medals and beat a famous shooter, Heena Sidhu, with a record score. In 2018, at a big competition in Mexico, Bhaker won gold in the 10-meter air pistol event, beating a two-time champion. She became the youngest Indian to win gold at this level at just 16. Manu Bhaker won her second World Cup gold medal in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event with her partner Om Prakash Mitharval. They scored 476.1 points, beating the German pair by 0.9 points. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Bhaker qualified for the womens 10m air pistol final with a score of 388/400 and went on to win gold with a record 240.9 points. Gold medalist in World Cup and Commonwealth GamesHowever, at the 2018 Asian Games, despite setting a game record in the 25m air pistol qualification round, Bhaker finished sixth in the final and missed out on a medal. Her teammate Rahi Sarnobat won gold in that event.As the Indian flag bearer and a gold medalist in the World Cup and Commonwealth Games, the 16-year-old made history by becoming Indias first shooter and first female athlete to win gold at the Youth Olympics.In February 2019 she won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at ISSF World Cup in Delhi 2019.Throughout 2019, Manu Bhaker and her partner Saurabh Chaudhry dominated the 10m air pistol mixed event, winning gold medals in all four Pistol & Rifle ISSF World Cups. Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a bronze medal in the 10-meter air pistol category, scoring 221.7 points.#ManuBhakar is the first Indian woman ever to win an Olympic medal in shooting.🇮🇳🥉 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗭𝗘 medal! Manu Bhaker wins Indias first medal at #Paris2024. @realmanubhaker pic.twitter.com/bzKGgf4HJH— Parveen Kaswan (@ParveenKaswan) July 28, 2024
