Ace shooter Manu Bhaker has been named India’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 on August 11, a prestigious honor that underscores her historic achievements at this year’s Games. At just 22, Bhaker made history by winning two medals in a single edition, becoming the first Indian athlete to accomplish this feat.
Bhaker's exceptional performance in Paris included winning bronze medals in both the Women’s 10m Air Pistol and the Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol final, alongside her partner Sarabjot Singh. Her remarkable achievements have distinguished her as a standout performer of the Games. Bhaker’s bid for a third medal was narrowly missed when she finished fourth in the 25m Pistol final, falling short by just two points.
This year’s Olympics marked a striking contrast from her debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, where she faced a series of setbacks. In Tokyo, Bhaker’s shooting gun malfunctioned during the 10m Air Pistol qualification round, preventing her from completing her shots and ultimately leading to her non-qualification for the final.
In Paris, however, Bhaker turned the tide, entering the record books as the first female shooter from India to win an Olympic medal in shooting. Her twin bronze medals place her among an elite group of Indian athletes who have won multiple medals at the Summer Games. Bhaker joins the ranks of badminton star PV Sindhu, who won a silver at Rio 2016 and a bronze at Tokyo 2020, and wrestler Sushil Kumar, who earned bronze at Beijing 2008 and silver at London 2012.
With her youth and exceptional talent, Manu Bhaker is poised to continue breaking records and achieving new milestones in her career. The next opportunity for Olympic glory will be in Los Angeles four years from now, where Bhaker will have the chance to further cement her place in history.
