Manu Bhaker, one of India's most celebrated young shooters, narrowly missed out on a historic medal hat-trick at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing fourth in the highly competitive 25-meter pistol event. Despite her near-miss, Bhaker made history as the first Indian female shooter to reach the finals in three consecutive Olympic events.
She finished fourth in the women's 25-meter pistol final on Saturday at the Chateauroux shooting range after losing to Veronika Major of Hungary in a shoot-off. After defeating France’s Camille Jedrzejewski in a shoot-off, Jiin Yang of Korea took home the gold. Jedrzejewski came in second and won the silver medal.
At just 22 years old, Bhaker’s achievement of reaching the finals in three consecutive Olympic events is a testament to her consistent excellence on the international stage. She had previously competed in the 2018 Youth Olympics, where she won gold, and in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she reached the finals in both the 10 meter air pistol and the mixed team events.
Bhaker’s focus now shifts to the upcoming World Championships and the next Olympic cycle, where she will undoubtedly aim to convert her finals experience into a medal-winning performance.
Her journey in Paris, while not ending in a medal, has cemented her place in India’s Olympic history books, and the nation will be eagerly watching her future endeavors.
