Manu Bhaker is an Indian sport shooter and Olympic medalist. She was born on February 18, 2002, in the modest village of Goria, located in the Jhajjar district of Haryana, India. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, is a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy, and her mother, Sumedha Bhaker, holds a master’s degree in Sanskrit and served as the principal of a school in Goria.
With an upbringing deeply rooted in education, discipline, and a strong sense of dedication, Manu’s family has played a significant role in shaping her career. Her grandfather, Raj Karan, laid the foundation for her educational journey by starting the Universal Higher Senior Secondary School in Goria, where Manu completed her schooling.
Beginning of Shooting Career
Manu’s journey in competitive shooting began with her father’s investment of ₹1,50,000, a significant sum for a family from a small village, into her training and equipment. She started her formal training under the guidance of her first coach, Anil Jakhar, who helped her prepare for junior world tournaments. Manu’s natural talent and her coach’s expertise quickly paid off, as she won her first silver medal at the 2017 Asian Junior Championships, marking her arrival on the international stage.
In the same year, Manu participated in the National Games held in Kerala, where she won nine gold medals. This performance was particularly notable as she defeated established shooter Heena Sidhu, breaking Sidhu’s record of 240.8 points by scoring an impressive 242.3 points in the final. This victory not only established Manu as a rising star in Indian shooting but also set the stage for her future successes on the global stage.
Breakthrough Year: 2018
The year 2018 was a turning point in Manu Bhaker’s career. She participated in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup held in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she won her first gold medal in the Women’s 10-meter air pistol event. In a nail-biting final, she defeated Mexico’s two-time champion, Alejandra Zavala, by scoring 237.5 points against Zavala’s 237.1 points. This victory made Manu the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup at just 16 years old.
Continuing her golden streak, Manu paired with fellow Indian shooter Om Prakash Mitharval in the mixed 10-meter air pistol team event. The duo clinched the gold medal by scoring 476.1 points, defeating the German pair of Sandra Reitz and Christian Reitz, who scored 475.2 points. Manu’s performances in the World Cup solidified her reputation as one of the brightest young talents in the world of shooting.
Her success continued at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, where she competed in the Women’s 10-meter air pistol event. Manu set a new Commonwealth Games record by scoring 240.9 points in the final, securing the gold medal and further enhancing her growing legacy.
Challenges and Resilience
Despite her early success, Manu Bhaker faced challenges that tested her resilience. At the 2018 Asian Games, she set a new Games record by scoring 593 points in the qualification round of the 25-meter air pistol event. However, she could not sustain her momentum in the final and finished in sixth place. Her compatriot, Rahi Sarnobat, went on to win the gold in this event. This setback was a learning experience for Manu, highlighting the unpredictable nature of competitive sports.
In October 2018, Manu represented India at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As the Indian flag bearer at the opening ceremony, Manu lived up to expectations by winning the gold medal in the Women’s 10-meter air pistol event with a score of 236.5. This achievement made her the first shooter from India and the first female athlete from India to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games.
National pistol coach Jaspal Rana, who mentored Manu during this period, praised her mental toughness, a quality that would become crucial in her preparation for future Olympic games. Manu’s success in 2018 marked her as a serious contender for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Road to Tokyo and Beyond
In 2019, Manu Bhaker continued to dominate the shooting circuit. She won the gold medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup in Delhi, along with Saurabh Chaudhry, another rising star in Indian shooting. The pair’s success continued throughout 2019, as they won gold medals in all four Pistol & Rifle ISSF World Cups, making them strong contenders for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
However, the road to the Tokyo Olympics was fraught with challenges. During the 2019 Munich ISSF World Cup, Manu qualified for the Olympics in the 10-meter pistol event by finishing fourth. This qualification came just days after she experienced a pistol malfunction in the finals of the 25-meter pistol event, where she was leading. The malfunction forced her to forfeit the event, a bitter pill to swallow after such a strong performance.
The Tokyo Olympics, delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, proved to be a difficult experience for Manu. Despite high expectations, she faced multiple equipment malfunctions, including a pistol malfunction that led to her missing the finals in both the 10-meter and 25-meter air pistol events. Although she and Saurabh Chaudhry finished the qualifying round of the mixed 10-meter air pistol event with the highest score, they could only manage an eighth-place finish in the next round, missing out on a medal.
Redemption at the 2024 Paris Olympics
After the Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker reunited with her former coach, Jaspal Rana, to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Supported by IOC President PT Usha, Rana devised a rigorous training regimen that mirrored the pressures of Olympic competition. This meticulous preparation paid off when Manu competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
In Paris, Manu achieved a historic feat by winning two bronze medals. She secured her first bronze in the Women’s 10-meter air pistol event, becoming the first female Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal. She then added another bronze to her tally in the mixed 10-meter air pistol team event, partnering with Sarabjot Singh. With these achievements, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win two medals at a single Olympics, marking a significant milestone in Indian sports history.