Manu Bhaker becomes 1st Indian to win 2 medals in single Olympics, bags BRONZE with Sarabjot in Paris
Manu Bhaker made a historic mark at the Paris Olympics 2024 by securing a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team competition, alongside her partner Sarabjot Singh on Tuesday.
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FollowIn a remarkable achievement at the Paris Olympics 2024, Manu Bhaker has etched her name in Indian sports history by becoming the first Indian athlete post-independence to win two medals in a single edition of the Games. Partnering with Sarabjot Singh, Bhaker clinched the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on Tuesday.
The Indian duo delivered a stellar performance, defeating South Korea' duo of Oh Ye Jin and Lee Wonhowith a score of 16-10 at Chateauroux's shooting range.
Norman Pritchard, a British-Indian athlete, was the only other Indian to achieve a double medal feat at the Olympics, winning two silver medals in the 200m sprint and 200m hurdles at the 1900 Paris Games. Bhaker's accomplishment, however, stands out as the first by an independent India.
Bhaker's performance comes two days after a historic bronze in the individual 10m air pistol event, where she became the first Indian woman shooter to clinch an Olympic medal. With today’s achievement, India’s medal tally at the Paris Olympics 2024 reaches 2, as the focus shifts to the rest of the contingent aiming for a double-digit total.
Following the historic win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his admiration and congratulations on social media: "Our shooters continue to make us proud! Congratulations to @realmanubhaker and Sarabjot Singh for winning the Bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the #Olympics. Both of them have shown great skills and teamwork. India is incredibly delighted. For Manu, this is her second consecutive Olympic medal, showcasing her consistent excellence and dedication. #Cheer4Bharat."
"I'm feeling really proud and there is lot of gratitude, thanks for all the blessings" said Bhaker after the match.
"Actually we can't control (what the rivals will do), we can do what is in our hand, me and my partner thought let's just try our best and we will keep fighting till the end," said Bhaker, who could not even qualify for this event at the Tokyo Games alongside Saurabh Chaudhary, finishing seventh.
The Indian team got off to a rocky start when Sarabjot Singh's opening shot scored a disappointing 8.6, while Manu Bhaker managed a 10.2, resulting in a combined total of 18.8. The Korean team scored 20.5, winning the first round and taking an early 2-0 lead.
In mixed team events, the first pair to reach 16 points secures the medal.
Trailing 0-2, Bhaker's consistent performance became evident and inspired Sarabjot, helping the duo win the next four rounds and bringing their total to 8-2.
Bhaker only had three shots below 10 throughout the 13-round contest. The Koreans struggled under pressure and couldn't keep up, ultimately losing 16-10.
Having secured two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics 2024, Manu Bhaker is now in contention for a third medal as she prepares to compete in the 25m air pistol event.
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