India's Manu Bhaker was so close, yet so far to a third Olympic medal at the Paris Games. The 22-year-old finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol final, missing the bronze medal by a whisker. In a fiercely contested final, Manu managed to be in the top 5, but lost out in the shoot-off to Hungary's Veronika Major for the bronze medal.
Manu Bhaker scripted history by becoming the only Indian to win two shooting medals in a single Olympics campaign. She won the 10m air pistol bronze and then joined hands with Sarabjot Singh to win the mixed team 10m air pistol bronze. She then made it even more special by reaching the final of the 25m pistol event after finishing 2nd in the qualification stage.
In the final, Manu began on a strong note, staying within reach of a medal. The final was fiercely contested between young shooters. Each shooter had 3 series of 5 shots in Stage 1. A shooter will get a point only if she shoots in excess of 10.2.
Manu Bhaker began with 2 points in the opening series. She then followed it up with two series of four shots each to jump into the top 3 spots before the elimination began.
Manu Bhaker then shot 3 and then followed it up with a perfect series. The spectacular fifth series shot her into the top 3 as she gave India hopes of another medal, a historic third one. She shot 4 in the sixth series and four more in the 7th series to be tied in the third spot with Hungary's Major Veronika, who equalled the qualifying Olympic record on Friday.
Manu Bhaker, who conceded that she was nervous in the final, managed just 2 in the shoot-off for the bronze medal while Major Veronika hit 4 to take home the third place.
Manu was gutted after finishing fourth in the 25m pistol event, but expressed confidence for the road ahead.
Manu will return home from Paris with two medals, joining the likes of PV Sindhu and Sushil Kumar in the elite club of Indian athletes with 2 Olympic medals.
Manu Bhaker's 10m air pistol bronze only motivated the entire Indian contingent as Swapnil Kusale went on to become the first Indian to win a medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event -- a bronze. India have won as many as 3 medals -- all of them coming from shooting.
It has been a remarkable Games for the shooters, who drew blanks in 2020 and 2016.
Source: India Today