Manu Bhaker made history on Sunday when she became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting in Paris. She earned a bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol event, capping India’s 12-year wait for an Olympic medal in shooting.
After rewriting history, Manu dedicated her medal to the nation and stated that it is “for all” while discussing her preparation for the final.
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.
“I was looking forward to the finals as soon as the qualification round was complete, and I was like, ‘I didn’t know how things were going to go. I’ve worked so hard, and I’m not sure what will happen to me tomorrow. How difficult will it be tomorrow? Because I know everyone from India is here, and I’m overjoyed that so many people came to cheer for me. This medal is for everyone, not just me,” Manu said after winning the medal.
“It’s a teamwork always. And I’m really grateful that I was the medium to win this medal for India,” she added.
“To be honest, I wish India wins as many medals as possible since we have worked so hard to get this far. It is only in the present moment that we must exert all of our efforts while leaving the results to God. I don’t see it as an opportunity or anything. It’s as if India hasn’t won many medals yet. It’s a great sensation. I can’t convey how amazing I feel, but I still have a lot of matches to shoot. I’ll have another tomorrow, and then another the next day,” the shooter said.
Manu also praised her family, friends, and coach Jaspal Rana for their support throughout her journey. In her first reaction following her first victory, Manu Bhaker stated that having a strong belief in herself helped her pursue her objectives.
“Thank you so much for sticking with me during my difficult times; I truly owe it to all of you that I am standing here strong. I try my hardest in every single event, putting out my best effort every time since you make my life so easy. It’s not only the people. It’s not only my family and friends, but also my coach. Jaspal Sir..,” she concluded.
“I put in a lot of effort. This is a bronze medal, but I’m glad I might have won one for my nation. I read a lot of the Gita. “As Lord Krishna says, focus on karma, not the outcome of karma,” Bhaker told the reporters after earning the bronze medal.
“After Tokyo, I was disappointed, but I came back stronger. When asked what her strong performance in Paris meant for her, she answered, “Let the past be the past.”
