'A historic medal': PM Modi, Abhinav Bindra & others hail shooter Manu Bhaker's bronze at Paris Olympics 2024

Manu Bhaker ended India's 12-year wait for a shooting medal at the Olympics by securing a historic bronze in the 10m air pistol event at the Paris Games 2024 on Sunday. Bhaker's achievement marks her as the first Indian markswoman to finish on the podium in this discipline. 

The 22-year-old Indian shooter scored 221.7 to claim the bronze at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, while Korea's Kim Yeji took silver with a total of 241.3, and her compatriot Jin Ye Oh set a new Games record of 243.2 to win gold.

The last Olympic shooting medals for India were won at the 2012 London Games by Vijay Kumar in the rapid-fire pistol event and Gagan Narang in the 10m air rifle event, both securing bronze. The Indian shooting contingent endured two Olympic cycles without a medal until Bhaker's triumphant performance.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to congratulate Bhaker, taking to social media platform X to express his admiration. "A historic medal! Well done, @realmanubhaker, for winning India’s FIRST medal at #ParisOlympics2024! Congrats for the Bronze. This success is even more special as she becomes the 1st woman to win a medal in shooting for India. An incredible achievement! #Cheer4Bharat," he wrote.

Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra also extended his heartfelt congratulations to Bhaker. "Heartiest congratulations to Manu Bhaker for clinching the bronze medal in the air pistol event at Paris 2024! Your relentless dedication, hard work, and passion have truly paid off. It's incredible to witness your skill and determination, bringing pride to India with each shot. This achievement is a testament to your perseverance and determination. Keep shining, Manu!" Bindra tweeted.

This achievement marks Manu Bhaker's redemption after a devastating pistol malfunction during the qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 left her in tears. What should have been a career highlight during her maiden Olympics in Tokyo is now remembered with distaste.

Manu Bhaker secured the Paris Olympics quota for India by finishing fifth in the women’s 25m pistol event at the 2023 Asian Shooting Championships. She is the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. Additionally, she is the Commonwealth Games champion in the women’s 10m air pistol event from Gold Coast 2018, where she set a CWG record. Bhaker also made history as the first Indian shooter and female athlete from the country to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires 2018.

Here's a look at how India celebrated Manu Bhaker's historic bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024: