Indian shooter Manu Bhaker etched her name in the history books as she became the first Indian woman to win a shooting medal at the Olympics. The 22-year-old Haryana shooter clinched a bronze medal in the ongoing Paris Olympics in the 10m air pistol final and became only the fifth Indian with an Olympic medal in the sport.
Manu is in her second Olympics after enduring a tough debut in her first Summer Games, three years ago in Tokyo. She was one of India's strong medal hopes in the 2021 Olympic Games but could not get it in her debut Games.
Meanwhile, this was not the only event Manu was part of at the Paris Games. Interestingly, she is the only Indian in the 117-member athlete contingent to be part of three events at the Summer Games. Manu will compete in the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification and in the 25m air pistol event, which could bring her more medals.
Schedule of Manu Bhaker's next two events
Manu is scheduled to feature in the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification alongside Sarabjot Singh. The event is set to take place at 12:45 PM IST on July 29. Her second event is an individual one - the 25m air pistol qualification precision - set to be held on August 2 at 12:30 PM IST.
Manu eyes never-seen-before feat
India has produced only three multi-medallists in individual events. Norman Pritchard was the first from India to win multi-medals and he won both of his medals in the 1900 edition of the Games. He won Silver in men’s 200m hurdles and in men's 200m. Sushil Kumar won two medals in the Summer Games - one each in 2008 and 2012, before PV Sindhu won two in the 2016 and the 2021 Olympic Games.
Manu can now become the first Indian to win two medals in the same edition of the Summer Games since the country gained Independence. If she somehow manages to win medals in both events, she will be the first - pre-Independence or post-Independence - with three medals in a single edition of the Games.
